SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 
Two ad. Dark-eyed (Gray-headed) Juncos 
feeding a juv. near North L. in the Sierra Ne- 
vada w. of Bishop 28 Jun (ADK) were a bit w. 
of the normal range of this interior subspecies. 
A male Northern Cardinal in Blythe 7-8 Jun 
(RH) was at a different location than the bird 
reported in May. The spring’s huge showing of 
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks continued into the 
summer, with an additional 17 birds found in 
all coastal counties 1 Jun-15 Jul and 10 more 
on the deserts 2 Jun-24 Jul. The expected 
scattering of at least 13 Indigo Buntings dur- 
ing the period included a high-elevation bird 
at Aspendell 13-14 Jun (SLS) and singles in 
the Salton Sink at Brawley 26 Jun (GMcC) and 
N.E.S.S. 9 Jul (DG). Three Bronzed Cowbirds 
(2 ads., one juv.) were at various N.E.S.S. lo- 
calities through 17 Jul (DG); a male caught in 
a cowbird trap at L. Elsinore, Riverside 14 Jun 
(HA) was well to the w. of the species’ range. 
An ad. male Baltimore Oriole was in the Santa 
Ynez Mts., Santa Barbara 4 Jun (SB). Pine 
Siskins away from known breeding areas in- 
cluded 2 at Morro Bay 12 Jul (TME) and sin- 
gles at S.EK.R.E 25 Jul (BB) and Canoga Park, 
Los Angeles 26 Jul (WD). 
Cited observers (county coordinators in 
boldface): Henry Armijo, Rick Austin, Liga L. 
Auzins, Bob Barnes, Suzanne Barrymore, 
Richard Barth, Tom Benson, Mark J. Billings, 
Allen and Gloria Bond (A&GB), Ann and Eric 
Brooks (A&EB), David M. Compton (Santa 
Barbara), Daniel S. Cooper, Wanda Dameron, 
Brian E. Daniels, Jared Dawson, Teegan D. 
Docherty, Tom M. Edell (San Luis Obispo), 
Jon S. Feenstra, Jon L. Fisher, Mary and Nick 
Freeman (M & NF), Wes T. Fritz, Jan Gaffney, 
Kimball L. Garrett (Los Angeles), Peter Gaede 
(PGa), Daniel M. Geleynse, Karen S. Gilbert, 
Neil A. Gilbert, Peter A. Ginsburg, John F. 
Green (Riverside), David Goodward, Matt D. 
Gould, Christine Harvey, Tom & Jo Heindel 
(Inyo), Roger Higson, David Holway, Chris 
and Rosie Howard (C 6ar RH), Oscar Johnson 
(Ventura), Paul Jorgensen, Dexter Kelly, Nan- 
cy Kenyon, Howard B. King, Andrew D. Kirk, 
Peter Knapp, Alexander E. Koonce (San 
Bernardino), Barbara Krause, Ken and Brenda 
Kyle (K&BK), Denise La Berteaux, Kevin G. 
Larson, Andrew K. Lee, Paul E. Lehman, Nick 
A. Lethaby, Sara B. Mayers, Guy McCaskie 
(Son Diego and Imperial), Chet McGaugh, 
Todd McGrath, Jimmy McMorran, Robert 
McNab, Bob Miller, Kathy C. Molina, Tom 
Myers, Jim and Debby Parker (J&DP), Jim 
Pea, Dave Pereksta (DaP), Denise Perez 
(DeP), Kaaren L. Perry, James E. Pike, David 
W. Povey, Hugh P Ranson, Sandra Remley, 
Geoffrey L. Rogers, George Roland, Jim S. 
Royer, Mike San Miguel, Brad K. Schram, 
Tiffany Shepherd, Joyce Siebold OSi), Brad 
Singer, Maggie L. Smith, Susan E. Smith, 
Regine Snitzepjustyn T. Stahl (San Clemente 
L), Trent R. Stanley, Don Sterba (DSt), Doug 
Stinson (DSn), Jeremiah Stock QSt), Robert 
Theriault, Eric Tipton, Philip Unitt, Lynn 
Watson, Douglas R. Willick (Orange), John 
C. Wilson (Kent), Thomas E. Wurster. An ad- 
ditional 25+ observers who could not be indi- 
vidually acknowledged submitted reports; all 
have our thanks. ($ 
Guy McCaskie, 954 Grove Avenue 
Imperial Beach, California 91932, (guymcc@pacbell.net) 
Kimball L. Garrett 
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 
900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90007 
(kgarrett@nhm.org) 
Baja California Peninsula | 
, Tijuana 
lower Rio, 
Santo Tomas 
Maneadero Plat 
El Ri 
Ensenada 
Mexicali 
TCerro Prieto 
Leyes de Reforma 
,(San Felipe 
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Islas San Benitos, 
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BAJA 
CALIFORNIA, 
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CALIFORNIA 
SUR 
San Jose del Cabo 
Richard A. Erickson 
Roberto Carmona 
Gorgonio Ruiz-Campos 
A s has become customary in summer, 
coverage was better in Baja California 
Sur than in Baja California. Rare and 
uncommon species confirmed nesting includ- 
ed Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Redhead, 
Prairie Falcon, Tropical Kingbird, and appar- 
ently Savannah Sparrow (at a new location) in 
the south; and Gadwall, Redhead, Clark’s 
Grebe, Brown Booby (Pacific), California 
Condor, and Tricolored Blackbird in the 
north. Top rarities were Yellow-billed Loon, 
Great Frigatebird, and Tropical Parula. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH SKUA 
Black-bellied Wbistling-Ducks have colo- 
nized the Region’s Cape District, presumably 
having coming straight across the Gulf of Cal- 
ifornia. The species was first recorded in Jun 
1991 and first recorded nesting in Sep 2004. 
This year, a record 38 were at Lagunas de 
Chametla 24 Mar (MSM et al), two nests 
with eggs were found on a dredge spoil island 
in the harbor at La Paz 19 Jun (ph. EA), and 
two broods of chicks were at the Lagunas 7 
Aug (SGM). Gadwalls, Mallards, Redheads, 
and Ruddy Ducks were again found nesting 
in the Ensenada area in May and Jun (ph. 
EDZH, RAE). Later, and much farther s.. Red- 
heads and Ruddy Ducks with young were at 
Estero San Jose 12-19 Aug (ph. SGM, DGE). 
Up to 4 American Wigeons at Lagunita El 
Cipres 5-17 Jun (EDZH) and up to 2 Red- 
breasted Mergansers at Estero Punta Banda 24 
Mlodinow, Palacios, Galindo Espinosa, and others 
hiked into the Sierra de La Laguna 8-10 Aug. Owls 
showed well during their early morning hike up the w. 
side (7 Western Screech-Owls, one Northern Pygmy-Owl, 
and 21 Elf Owls heard), but the Whip-poor-wills at La La- 
guna were not vocal. An active Hooded Oriole nest was 
the first recorded from high-elevation La Laguna, but, in 
general, nesting appeared to be considerably delayed 
compared to the situation during 14-19 Jul 2008. 
Two-day tallies of certain resident species are inform- 
ative: 480 Xantus's Hummingbirds, 370 Spotted Towhees, 
225 Yellow-eyed Juncos, 160 Bushtits, 80 Hutton's Vireos, 
60 American Robins, and 35 Oak Titmice. Migrants were 
already well in evidence and included 215 Orange- 
crowned Warblers, 40 Black-headed Grosbeaks, 18 West- 
ern Tanagers, 14 Black-throated Gray Warblers, and an 
early Gray flycatcher (La Laguna, 9 Aug). And what 
would a Mlodinow trip be without a major rarity? A 
Tropical Parula at La Laguna 9-10 Aug (ph. SGM et al.) 
was new for the mountains and established only the 5th 
Regional record (see Western Birds 39: 69-81, 2008), The 
bird was identified by Peter Pyle from photographs as a 
second-year male. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 4 
657 
