SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
This inquisitive adult Blue-footed Booby made multiple laps around a boat load 
of birders on a 5 March 2009 San Diego Bird Festival field trip 8 kilometers off 
San Diego, San Diego County, California. Photegraph by Thomas A. Blackman. 
This adult Little Gull, photographed on the day of its dis- 
covery, remained with Bonaparte's Gulls on Lake Perris, 
Riverside County, California 1-29 March 2009. Photograph 
byThomasA.Ber)5on. 
Because most rarities in s. California are seen 
by multiple observers, only the observer(s) 
initially finding and/or identifying the bird are 
included. Documentation for species on the 
California Bird Records Committee 
(C.B.R.C.) review list (see <www.californi- 
abirds.org>) is forwarded to the C.B.R.C. and 
archived at the Western Foundation of Verte- 
brate Zoology in Camarillo. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH CARACARAS 
Migrant Brant moved through the se. portion 
of the Region in Apr and early May, with one 
at Owens Lake 1-31 May (AT). A Eurasian 
Teal on Upper Newport Bay, Orange 3-7 Mar 
(RAH) was probably the same bird present off 
and on here during the winter seasons since 
2001-2002. At least one Harlequin Duck was 
present along the coast between Cayucos and 
Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo 17 
Mar-9 May (MLS, JSR, MO). 
Only 4 Surf Scoters were re- 
ported inland, with one at Bor- 
rego Springs, San Diego 29 Mar 
QK) and the other 3 at the 
Salton Sea in Apr and May. A 
Black Scoter, rare anywhere in 
s. California, was inland at 
N.E.S.S. 30 May OFG). Single 
Long-tailed Ducks at Bolsa 
Chica, Orange 11 Apr (MM), 
in Coronado, San Diego 15 
Mar-18 Apr QM), and at Im- 
perial Beach, San Diego 2-3 
May (EAC) were quite far s., 
and single birds around 
S.E.S.S. 15 Mar (BK) and 1 Apr 
(RC) were inland, where rare. 
A Red-throated Loon near Imperial, Imperi- 
al 1 May (PEL) was the only one found well 
inland. Eive Pacific Loons were found in the 
e. half of the Region, with single birds at 
Owens L. 25 May (KH-L), N.E.S.S. 14 Mar 
(CMcG), near Agua Caliente, San Diego 2 Apr 
(SES), Borrego Springs, San Diego 15 May 
QH), and near Seeley, Imperial 23 May 
(GMcC), and another was closer to the coast 
on Puddingstone Res., Los Angeles 27 Apr 
(AKL). A Horned Grebe at N.E.S.S. 14 Mar 
(CMcG) was unexpected. A Red-necked 
Grebe on Klondike L. near Big Pine 29 Apr-2 
May (T&JH) was the 5th in Inyo, and single 
birds at Cardiff, San Diego 4 Mar (DWA) and 
in Oceanside San Diego 24 Mar-15 Apr (PG) 
were unusually far south. 
A two-day pelagic trip to the waters off ex- 
treme sw. California produced among other 
birds a respectable 14 Laysan Albatrosses 9- 
10 May, all 96 km or more off the coast and 
most s. and w. of San Clemente 1., along with 
3 Cook’s Petrels 160 km ssw. of San Clemente 
1. 10 May (WTH). An imm. Red-billed Trop- 
icbird eluding a Peregrine Falcon over Pt. 
Piedras Blancas, San Luis Obispo 23 Apr 
(RAR) was on the coast, where virtually un- 
recorded; one 40 km se. of San Clemente 1. 9 
May (WTH) was the only other one reported. 
An ad. Blue-footed Booby, now considered ca- 
sual in California, was well photographed 8 
km w. of Pt. Loma 5 Mar (TABl). 
The only Little Blue Heron away from 
costal San Diego was an ad. at Playa del 
Rey/Marina del Rey, Los Angeles 31 May-r (RS, 
BJ). A Tricolored Heron near Oxnard, Ventura 
7-21 May (CH, WF) was the only one report- 
ed. A pair of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons 
remained in Imperial Beach, San Diego 
through the period (GMcC), and an ad. at 
Famosa Slough in Ocean Beach, San Diego 10 
May-6 Jun+ (KS, JP) could be the same bird 
seen here off and on since May 2001. A 
Glossy Ibis near Bishop 19 Apr QL-D) was 
new for Inyo. A Mississippi Kite at Mesquite 
Springs in Death Valley N.P 23 May (VH, BSt) . 
was in the area where most spring vagrants of 
this species have been found. Single Zone- 
tailed Hawks at Borrego Springs 31 Mar (HC) 
and on Pt. Loma 21 Apr (TM) were presumed 
migrants, while an imm. near Ramona, San 
Diego 18 May (BCa) may have been summer- 
ing locally. A Rough-legged Hawk lingered 
through 1 Apr (K&TK) at the Carrizo Plain, 
San Luis Obispo. The Crested Caracara pres- 
ent in the Tijuana R. valley since Sep 2006 
was still present 7 Jun (TRS). 
PLOVERS THROUGH PUFFINS 
The only American Golden-Plover was one on 
s. San Diego Bay 22 Apr (PU, PEL). The last of 
the wintering Pacific Golden-Plovers was on 
San Clemente I. through 25 Apr (MDG), at 
Bolsa Chica through 6 Apr (PK), and near Im- 
perial Beach through 1 May (RTP). An Ameri- 
can Oystercatcher was on the beach near Im- 
perial Beach 27 Apr (BCo). A somewhat late 
Solitary Sandpiper on San Clemente I. 11-13 
May QTS) was the only one on the coast; one 
near New Cuyama, Santa Barbara 19 Apr 
(MTV) was e. of the Coast Range, and 4 re- 
ported in the e. part of the Region between 31 
Mar and 22 Apr were fewer than expected. A 
late Upland Sandpiper w. of Lancaster, Los An- 
geles 3 Jun QSF) was the 9th to be found in 
spring in s. California. Twenty-three Whim- 
The nominate subspecies of Xantus's Murrelet, having the 
white of the face extending upward to above the eyes, is a 
scarce late-summer visitor from the south to the waters off 
Southern California, with these two photographed 160 kilo- 
meters south-southwest of San Clemente Island on 10 May 
2009 establishing by far the earliest date for this subspecies 
in California waters. Photograph by Monte Taylor. 
brels at Owens L. 2 May QL-D) was an impres- 
sive number for this area of California. A Rud- 
dy Turnstone and 4 Sanderlings at Owens L. 2 
May OLD, MSanM) were the only ones found 
inland away from the Salton Sea. A Black Turn- 
stone, always rare inland, was at S.E.S.S. 1 May 
(PEL). A Surfbird, even rarer inland, was at PR 
25 Apr OG). A Red Knot near Newberry 
Springs, San Bernardino 15 Apr (GCH) and an- 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
503 
