NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 
This Hudsonian Godwit (the right bird) south of Corcoran 10 June 2009 provided the 
first record for Kings County, California and only the second June record for the 
state. Photograph by Jeff Seay. 
mostly 46-65 km sw. of Cypress Ft. over wa- 
ter deeper than 1100 fathoms, and a pelagic 
trip recorded 138 on Monterey Bay (ShJ). A 
Stejneger’s Petrel reported within a flock of 
Cook’s sw. of Cypress Ft. 31 Jul (MFo) would 
provide only the 4th Regional record (p.a.). 
A juv. Brown Pelican n. of Elk Grove 6 Jul 
(KMz) was unusually far inland and provided 
Sacramento's 3rd record. Numbers on El. 
peaked at 2739 on 6 Jun before dwindling to 
fewer than 100 in late Jun and Jul (Pete 
Warzybok, Russ Bradley). Two American 
White Pelicans were in Humboldt, where rare, 
at Humboldt Bay N.W.R. 1-14 Jun QCP, DFx, 
m. ob.). After widespread breeding failures in 
spring, Brandt’s Cormorants re-nested suc- 
cessfully at several coastal locations, albeit in 
lower numbers than usual; 3000 along the 
Santa Cruz shoreline 29 Jul consisted mostly 
of loafing (rather than re-nesting) birds 
(DLSu). In contrast, re-nesting attempts were 
unsuccessful at EL, where the species suffered 
complete reproductive failure (Pete Warzy- 
bok, Russ Bradley). The spring “invasion” of 
Brandt’s Cormorants into Santa Clara tapered 
off, with singles lingering at Shoreline L. 
through 16 Jun (MDo, m.ob.) and at Lexing- 
ton Res. through 17 Jun (SCR); in Alameda, 
singles were at H.R.S. 23 & 30 Jun (RJR). The 
new Double-crested Cormorant colony at 
Moonglow Dairy, Monterey was successful, 
with 60 young counted among 27 nests 1 Aug 
(RF, DR, RC, m.ob.). 
HERONS THROUGH CRANES 
An American Bittern in flight over an Alviso 
salt pond 28 Jul OAC, ph. Charlie Moores) 
made the first Jul record for Santa Clara and 
was away from known breeding locations, all 
of which are inland, far from S.E Bay. A Least 
Bittern n. of Lincoln 13 Jun (tPRo) was Plac- 
er's 3rd. Up to 4 ads. at Rodman Slough, Lake 
17 Jun-13 Jul (GEC, JRW et al.) were in the 
same locations as last fall’s breeding birds. Two 
ad. Little Blue Herons were found: one, per- 
haps returning from last year, along Alameda 
Cr. in Eremont, Alameda 11 Jul-9 Aug (ph. 
David Leahy, m.ob.) and San Mateo's 6th at the 
Gazos Cr. mouth 19 Jul (RSTh, Leonie Batkin, 
ph. GJS). A few Cattle Egrets lingered coastal- 
ly including one at Redwood Shores, San Ma- 
teo 1 Jun (RSTh); one through 6 Jun at Palo 
Alto Baylands, Santa Clara (Lois Goldfrank et 
al., ph. MMR); 2 at Salinas River S.B., Mon- 
terey 27 Jun (RJA) and another at Moonglow 
Dairy, Monterey the same day (D. & J. Styer, L. 
& C. Rose); and Santa Cruz's 3rd summer 
record at Watsonville Slough 9 Jul OHW). A 
Green Heron at Manzanita L. 10 Jul (BiO, Lar- 
ry Jordan, Don Marsh et al.) was apparently 
only the 3rd for Lassen Volcanic N.R, Shasta. 
Coastal White-faced Ibis in- 
cluded singles at Ukiah 
S.T.R, Mendocino 11-12 Jun 
(CEV, JSL) and 1 Jul (Steve 
Stump); up to 10 near Wat- 
sonville 29 Jun-9 Jul (new 
Santa Cniz record summer 
count of 10 on 1 Jul; CKf, 
AMR et al.); and birds in 
Mountain View, Santa Clara 
23 Jun (4 birds; Sidd Ra- 
machandramurthi) and 5-8 
Jul (one bird; Jean Palmeter, 
Nancy Kenyon et al). 
A young Osprey in a nest 
below L. Kaweah Dam 9 Jul 
OLt) may constitute only 
the 2nd nesting record for Tulare. Bald Eagles 
fledged at least one young from the same site 
at Kent L., Marin used in 2008 OGE)- Suc- 
cessful breeding was also confirmed again in 
Napa and Santa Clara. Sonoma's Common 
Black-Hawk was seen again in the Laguna de 
Santa Rosa area 25 Jul (Stan Moore). Two 
pairs of Swainson’s Hawks apparently nested 
in se. Napa, with young birds detected at two 
locations 8 Jul (Eric Lichtwardt); 2 were 
found farther w. in Sonoma in the Napa Sono- 
ma Marsh 14 Jul (MBe). An ad. Ferruginous 
Hawk e. of Ft. Bidwell, Modoc 1 Jun (SCR) 
followed on the heels of last season’s May re- 
port from the same area. Del Norte's Crested 
Caracara continued near Ft. Dick 1 Jun+ 
(Paul O’Connor, ADB, JEH, GjH). Nesting 
Peregrine Falcons included the first to breed 
on EL since 1933 (PRBO). 
A Yellow Rail was detected 13 Jul (DEQ) at 
the location near the city of Mt. Shasta, Shas- 
ta where the species was reported 2002-2005. 
Two Black Rails in the Napa R. floodplain, 
Napa 4 Jul (MBe) indicate colonization of this 
site, which was converted from pastureland 
10 years ago. Santa Clara's 2nd Virginia Rail 
breeding confirmation came in the form of a 
downy chick accompanied by a vocal ad. in 
wetlands near Carnadero Cr. and the Pajaro 
R. 27 Jun (SCR). The pair of Common 
Moorhens found last season in Ukiah was 
seen with 2 young 1-19 Jun (GEC, KHv), pro- 
viding Mendocino's first breeding record. On 
the heels of a report last May, San Joaquin's 
first Jun Sandhill Crane record came in the 
form of 7 birds near Lodi 6 Jun (Donald Gill). 
SHOREBfRDS THROUGH ALCIDS 
Returning ad. Pacific Golden-Plovers at H.R.S. 
21 Jul (RJR) and Coyote Pt., San Mateo 30 Jul 
(RSTh) were fall migrants at an expected time 
of year; an unidentified golden-plover at Area- 
ta Marsh, Humboldt 5 Jun (DFx) was much 
less expected. Single Black Oystercatchers 18 
& 30 Jun provided the first Jun reports for 
H.R.S.; 2 were there 30 Jul (all RJR). Two 
Black-necked Stilts nw. of Nice 16 Jun (DvW) 
provided only the 2nd summer record for 
Lake. A Solitary Sandpiper at the Madera S.T.R 
1 Jun (tKPa) was the first summer record for 
Madera and one of few Jun records for the Re- 
gion; the only other report this season was 
from the Napa S.T.R on the more expected 
date of 31 Jul (MBe, BDP). Inland Willets 
away from traditional breeding sites included 
one on territory in the Carson R. Valley 5 Jun 
(one of few ever found in Alpine; TEa, JCS, 
FO), one at the Upper Truckee Marsh, El Do- 
rado 4 Jul (CCo, KLL), and an early migrant at 
the Madera S.T.R, Madera 19 Jul (PFa). Early 
fall migrant Lesser Yellowlegs were seen at the 
Madera S.T.R, Madera 19 Jun (JSy GaW) and 
in Alviso, Santa Clara 23 Jun (RWR, FV). 
King’s first Hudsonian Godwit was s. of Cor- 
coran 10-18 Jun (ph., tJSy; RH, SDS,John Sil- 
vas), providing the 2nd record for the C.V, the 
first Jun record for the Region, and only the 
2nd Jun record for California. A Bar-tailed 
Godwit was at Humboldt Bay, Humboldt on the 
early date of 1 Jul (p.a.; tLeslie Tucci). Inland 
Ruddy Turnstones were found in Kings 3 km 
n. of Stratford 23 Jul QSy) and w. of Corcoran 
25-26 Jul (Mark Stacey). 
A molting ad. Sanderling at Clear Lake S.E 
27-31 Jul (DvW, JRW) marked the first Jul 
record for Lake. Thirteen Semipalmated Sand- 
pipers in nine counties 3 Jul+ included 3 ear- 
ly ads. at Goose L., Modoc 3 Jul (SCR) and an 
early juv. on Humboldt Bay, Humboldt 13 Jul 
(Leslie Tucci, Stephanie Schneider). A West- 
ern Sandpiper in Alviso, Santa Clara 1 Jun 
(MJM) was thought to be summering, where- 
as 2 in Eureka, Humboldt 18 Jun (TWL) were 
the first fall migrants. Five Baird’s Sandpipers 
in three counties 12-18 Jul included an early 
juv. at the Salinas WTR, Monterey 17-18 Jul 
(TAm et al.). Three of the 4 Rectoral Sand- 
pipers reported were at the Marysville W.T.R, 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 4 
651 
