SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
More than the usual number of Sabine's Gulls passed through the interior of the South- 
ern California region in September 2008, including this juvenile on Lake Havasu, San 
Bernardino County on 6 September. Photograph by Stephen]. Myers. 
migrant Broad-winged Hawks were along the 
coast at Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo 9 Oct 
(BKS), El Segundo, Los Angeles 22 Sep (KLG), 
near San Dimas, Los Angeles 13 Sep (AKL), 
and at Huntington Beach, Orange 10 Oct 
(JEP), and inland at Morongo Valley, San 
Bernardino 12 Sep (BD). A count of 108 
Swainson’s Hawks at Borrego Springs, San 
Diego 30 Oct (MJ) was an impressive number 
for so late in the fall, and one near Seeley 9 
Nov (PEL) was the latest migrant this year. 
Wintering Zone-tailed Hawks along the coast 
included returning ads. in Ojai, Ventura 20 
Sep-r (DR) and near Escondido, San Diego 1 
OctH- (TS), along with an ad. inland near El 
Centro, Imperial 19 Sep+ (KZK); single birds 
at G.H.P 22 Sep OMo). over Pine Mt., Kent 19 
Oct (KP), and near El Centro 25 Nov (KZK) 
were evidently on the move. A Harlan’s Hawk 
near Seeley 20 Nov (DRW) was believed to be 
the same bird as was present last winter. A 
Rough-legged Hawk at Lucerne Valley, Smi 
Bernardino 10 Nov (ETT) was the southern- 
most of the 5 reported. The long-staying 
Crested Caracara in the Tijuana R. valley, San 
Diego was still present 21 Nov (GMcC). 
Single Sandhill Cranes at P.M.N.A.S. 11 
Nov-h (NL), over Irvine, Orange 18 Oct 
(KBe), and over San Elijo Lagoon 15 Oct 
(CM) then at nearby Rancho Santa 
Fe/Fairbanks Ranch, San Diego 25 Oct-i- (RK) 
were on the immediate coast, where now 
considered casual to accidental. 
Only 2 American Golden-Plovers were re- 
ported: a juv. on the coast at the Santa Maria 
R. mouth, San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara 9-21 
Sep (WTF, CAM) and another inland near 
Ripley, Riverside 24 Oct QCS). Single Pacific 
Golden-Plovers in Goleta 30 Aug-1 Sep 
(MAH) and 7-15 Sep (KBra) and at San Elijo 
Lagoon 9 Aug- 24 Sep (BC) were believed to be 
migrants, while up to 4 at Guadalupe, Santa 
Barbara 12 Oct+ (WTF), at least 2 on the Ox- 
nard Plain, Ventura 16 Sep+ (DVP), 4 at Seal 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 
Beach Naval Weapons 
Station, Orange late Nov-i- 
(RS), up to 2 in Hunting- 
ton Beach 13 Aug-r (PK), 
and up to 3 near Imperial 
Beach 14 Aug+ (RTP) 
were wintering locally. 
The only Mountain 
Plover on the coast was 
one on the Oxnard Plain 
11-20 Oct (DD); one in- 
land near Tecopa, Inyo 24 
Oct-10 Nov (ADeM) was 
away from any area of 
regular occurrence. A rel- 
atively pure-looking 
American Oystercatcher 
was around Point Loma 22 Sep-2 Oct (DPo), 
and a “cleaner” looking bird was there 1 Nov-r 
(TWH); however, the majority of white-bel- 
lied oystercatchers in California show some 
degree of hybrid derivation. 
SANDPIPERS 
THROUGH MURRELETS 
Thirty-four Solitary Sandpipers on the coast 
was more than expected. The only Ruddy 
Turnstones inland, and away from the Salton 
Sea, were 3 at Owens L., Inyo 24 Aug (SLS) and 
one at Daggett, San Bernardino 18 Sep (BD). A 
Red Knot, rare inland away 
from the Salton Sea, was 
near Yermo, San Bernardino 
26 Aug (BD). A Sanderling, 
scarce inland, was near Lan- 
caster, Los Angeles 18 Sep 
(KLG), another was at Silver 
Lakes, San Bernardino 17-18 
Aug (HBK), 5 were found 
around DaggettA'ermo 6-7 
Sep (TB), and one was at 
Desert Center 21 Sep 
(CMcG). Twenty juv. Semi- 
palmated Sandpipers on the 
coast in Aug-Sep was less 
than expected, as was a total 
of 6 in the e. half of the Re- 
gion, with one near Yermo 1 
Oct (MSanM) being the lat- 
est. Numbers of Baird’s Sand- 
piper appeared about aver- 
age, with most in Sep, but 
the latest was one at Paramount, Los Angeles 
28 Oct (KGL). Pectoral Sandpipers were de- 
cidedly scarce on the coast, with only 25 re- 
ported between 5 Sep and 2 Nov. Single Stilt 
Sandpipers, rare anywhere away from the 
Salton Sea, were on the coast at Santa Maria, 
Santa Barbara 29 Aug-5 Sep (WTF), Goleta 30 
Aug (KBra), V.C.G.P 31 Oct (DPe), and Long 
Beach, Los Angeles 14 Aug (KSG), and inland 
1 
near State Line, San Bernardino 20 Sep (JL). A 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper at the Santa Maria R. 
mouth 29-31 Aug (MLS) was the only one 
found this fall. A Ruff was near Chino, San 
Bemardino/Riverside 28 Aug-2 Sep QEP), and 
4 more were around S.E.S.S. between 1 Aug 
and 8 Oct (TE,jPS, GG). 
A Franklin’s Gull in Oceano, San Luis Obis- 
po 9 Oct (BSiMB) and another at L. Murray, 
San Diego 29-30 Nov (CH) were along the 
coast; 25 elsewhere in the Region between 16 
Aug and 30 Oct were fewer than expected. 
Reports of Heermann’s Gulls inland away 
from the Salton Sea included one close to the 
coast on Cachuma L., Santa Barbara 15 Oct 
(MJK), up to 2 at Silver Lakes 20-29 Oct 
(BD), one photographed at Zzyzx, San 
Bernardino 5 Nov (MB), and another at Desert 
Center 26 Nov (DVP). A Lesser Black-backed 
Gull was on the coast at Dana Point, Orange 
11 Nov (RMcN), and inland 2 were around L. 
Perris, Riverside 23 Nov+ (N63:MF); another, 
believed to be the same bird present here last 
winter, was at S.E.S.S. 24 Oct+ (GMcC). 
Sabine’s Gulls were noticeably more numer- 
ous than expected inland, with more than 40 
reported between 30 Aug and 3 Oct, includ- 
ing 14 together near Lancaster 19 Sep OLD). 
Twelve Least Terns in Chula Vista, San 
Diego 17 Sep (RTP) and 3 near Imperial Beach 
18 Sep (RTP) were unusually late. The latest 
of the Gull-billed Terns at Bolsa Chica, Or- 
ange were 3 on 23 Aug (DB). All three jaegers 
were found inland, with a subad. Pomarine 
on L. Havasu 29 Sep (PEL), a Parasitic there 
29-30 Sep (PEL), and 4 more on the Salton 
Sea between 5 & 21 Sep (GMcC), and an ad. 
Long-tailed at Owens L. 6 Aug (DJH) and a 
juv. on L. Havasu 24 Sep-8 Oct (LH). 
157 
A few Red-throated Pipits are found along the Padfic coast in most falls; the species 
is exceptionally rare inland, however, so this one in Baker, San Bernardino County, 
California, photographed on the second day of its 20-21 September 2008 stay, was a 
significant find. Photograph by Stephen J. Myers. 
