Hello, and welcome to the Plumas County "Birder's
News." This page contains copies of e-mails sent by birders from
all over Plumas County. If you'd like to add bird sightings to
it, just join the list (above) and send your message. We'll post
new messages here as we receive them.
May 6, 2008
Colin Dillingham
This afternoon Bob Battagin found a solitary sandpiper at
the Quincy Sewage
Ponds. Angie and I were able to get out there to see the bird as
well. It
is located in the mudflat habitat on the far side of the large
reservoir.
There were also spotted sandpiper, killdeer and least sandpiper
there.
Good diversity for American Valley shorebirds.
This morning I had an unusual bird fly over my backyard - an
American
Bittern. My guess is that it is hanging out at Thompson Valley
ponds, as
it was flying in that direction. Also saw a Lazuli bunting in my
yard this
morning (400 First Street in East Quincy).
4/30/2008
Juan Caicedo
Juan also had this to share from yesterday along Caribou Rd:
I spent a great hour and a half on 4/28 (5-6:30pm) along Caribou
Rd. east of Belden around the North Arm Campground and saw the
following:
2 Common Merganser
3 Canada Geese
1 Anna’s Hummingbird
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Warbling Vireo
2 Cassin’s Vireo
1 Hutton’s Vireo
5 Steller’s Jay
15 Tree Swallow
1 American Dipper
7 American Robin
1 Townsend’s Warbler
5 Nashville Warbler
3 Black-Throated Gray Warbler
2 Yellow Warbler
1 Yellow-Breasted Chat
2 Western Tanager
1 Bullock’s Oriole
2 Song Sparrow
3 Spotted Towhee
6 Black-headed Grosbeak
4/30/2008
Juan Caicedo
Visiting birder Juan Caicedo from Bisbee, AZ had a great
morning birding in Quincy, see message below:
Hi Birders,
I spent the morning at Gansner Park and the Quincy Wastewater
Treatment Plant and saw/heard lots of activity. I started at
Gansner Park (7-9am) near the baseball field and then followed
the trail downstream that goes between the ball field and
Spanish Creek. After the park I headed to the wastewater plant
(9:30-10:30) and followed the road between the main pond and
Spanish Creek. The first number after the species is for Gansner
Park and the second for the wastewater plant. A very nice 52
species morning. Do Common Goldeneye and Golden-Crowned Sparrow
seem to be a little late in leaving?
White-faced Ibis --,3
Canada Geese 8, 15+ (1 pair w/8 chicks, lots more in the marshy
field past the main pond)
Wood Duck 2, 6
Mallard 6, 9 (lots more in the marshy field past the main pond)
Cinnamon Teal -,1
Ring-necked Duck -, 25
Bufflehead -, 11
Ruddy Duck -, 2
Common Goldeneye -, 1
Turkey Vulture 2, 4
Osprey -, 1
California Quail 5, -
Killdeer -, 5
Vaux’s Swift -, 7
Anna’s Hummingbird 2, -
Rufous Hummingbird -,1
Downy Woodpecker 1, -
Northern Flicker 2, -
Red-Breasted Sapsucker 2, -
Dusky Flycatcher 1, -
Black Phoebe 1, 2
Warbling Vireo 7
Cassin’s Vireo 1, 1
American Crow 3
Common Raven 1, 2
Black-billed Magpie -,1
Steller’s Jay 2, 7
Tree Swallow -, ~30
Northern Rough-winged Swallow -,~20
Violet-green Swallow -, ~25
Cliff Swallow 2, ~20
Mountain Chickadee 4, -
Red-Breasted Nuthatch 1, -
House Wren -, 2
American Robin 12, 4
European Starling 5, 3
Wilson’s Warbler 1, 1
Macgillivary’s Warbler 1, -
Yellow-Rumped Warbler 7, -
Nashville Warbler 3, -
Black-Throated Gray Warbler 2, -
Yellow Warbler 2, -
Western Tanager 1, -
Black-Headed Grosbeak 7, -
Song Sparrow 1, 4
Spotted Towhee 9, 3
White-corwned Sparrow
Golden-Crowned Sparrow 3, -
Red-winged Blackbird --,10
Black-Headed Cowbird 5, 4
Lesser Goldfinch 6, 2
Purple Finch 1, -
4/28/2008
David Arsenault
In East Quincy at Fairgrounds/Hwy 70 the Nashville Warblers
were back on Friday, similar to return dates I have for the last
two years (16th and 25th) although the dates aren't very
accurate since I'm only there about once a week. I also heard a
Hermit Warbler, which I haven't heard there before. Along Quincy
Junction Road near Lee Road several Cassin's Vireos were calling
on Saturday. Along the North Fork of the Feather River between
Rich Bar and Belden, the Black-throated Gray Warblers were quite
active on Sunday.
4/28/2008
Ryan Burnett
The Yellow Warbler that breeds in my backyard showed up right on
time the 25th, the same exact date as the previous 2 years. Tree
Swallows are defending nest boxes, Black-headed Grosbeak are
singing till dark, Song Sparrow are all paired up – it is
finally spring in Chester.
4/28/2008
Paul Hardy
Good stuff, David and Ryan. Welcome back migrants! My family
and I did a hike along the Cascade Trail near Keddie on April
13th and heard 5 or so singing Black-throated Gray Warblers and
1 singing Warbling Vireo near the trailhead.
Cassin's Vireos, Warbling Vireos, BTGW's, Nashville
Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and
Yellow Warblers galore at the Earth Week event on the Heart K
Ranch on Saturday (4/26)! Lots of Bank Swallows as well.
4/23/2008
David Arsenault
Barbara Bazan in Calpine reported seeing hundreds of
white-faced ibises in Sierra Valley near Sierraville on Tuesday.
I hope to enjoy the spring birding around Quincy this weekend.
4/21/2008
Linda Blum
Evening grosbeaks seem to move regionally in flocks. There
have been 20-40 birds hanging out in our neighbors' backyard
aspens and around their feeders for weeks. Their loud,
high-pitched "chree!" calls are incessant -- or seem so when
they're right outside one's office window.
Anyone wanting a good look and listen should hang out a block
west of the courthouse in Quincy, near the corner of High Street
and Buchanan Street in the 8-9 a.m. hour. The evening grosbeaks
make a racket, so they're easy to find.
4/21/2008
Colin Dillingham
Henry and I were successful relocating the green heron that
Bob Battagin
found on Spanish Creek. It was much further downstream from
where Bob
originally found it, probably 1 - 1.25 miles downstream of
Gansner Park.
We put the canoe in at Gansner Park and floated downstream to
Chandler Rd.
We flushed the green heron about five times out in front of us
in about a
250 yard stretch of Spanish Creek. It was about half way between
Gansner
and Chandler Rd in a dense thicket of willow and cottonwoods.
4/20/2008
Bob Battagin
I did a little birding in American Valley last Friday, the
18th. The most unusal bird I ran into was a Green Heron along
Spanish Creek. Starting at Highway 70, travel down stream 0.6
mile along Spanish Creek Road. On your left you'll notice a
broad bend in the creek and a lot of rip-rap on the streambank.
Looking back upstream, the bird was about 200 feet upstream on
the left bank in the willows next to the creek. I'm going to
attach a couple photos - you've got to use some imagination to
see the bird. Hopefully we'll hear from Colin Dillingham that he
also saw the bird...he was going to float down the river later
in the day to try and find it.
While checking on the American Dippers that hang out under the
Highway 70 bridge where it crosses Spanish Creek, I noticed a
mink working its way upstream along the airport side bank.
Admittedly, I was totally surprised to find a mink so close to
town. I'll attach the one photo I managed of the mink.
4/20/2008
Raymond Gipson (photo taken by Gloria Gipson)
Thought I would share this little guy (male lesser
goldfinch) getting started for the morning right outside our
window. (Bird sighted near A-23 and Highway 70 in
Sierra Valley)
4/20/2008
Tony Hall
This morning Evening Grosbeaks visited for the first time
this season. They tend to be bullies and no other species come
to the sunflower feeders when they are present. In Galeppi Ranch
they stay just a few weeks and then they continue their
migration and presumably make nests higher up in the mountains.
The Black-headed Grosbeaks, in contrast, are not bullies and
some of them stay here all summer and presumably make nests in
the local forest. Please let me know if I am in error in these
assessments.
4/19/2008
Tony Hall
I saw a strange duck in the Galeppi Ranch pond today. It's
head was like a male Mallard but it had a greenish-yellow bill
and no white neck ring and it's body was dark brown. Is this an
American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid or some domesticated type
duck? This pond attracts several wild fowl in addition to lots
of Canada Geese. Today there were some Amercian Wigeon and a
pair of Ring-necked ducks. Yesterday in addition to these there
were some Common Goldeneyes and a Double-crested Cormorant. The
cormorant was standing on the edge of the dock with its feet
wrapped around the edge as if it was about to dive in -- but it
didn't. In the trees along Clear Creek Road I saw my first
Nashville Warbler of this season.
4/13/2008
Tony Hall
Migrants arrive late at our place because it is in a cool
location on Galeppi Ranch surrounded by conifers. However,
things are beginning to happen around the house. The first
Black-Headed Grosbeak arrived today. A few days ago we were
serenaded by our first warbler which was a brightly colored male
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's). Many Lesser Goldfinches have been
visiting my thistle feeder. Several Red-beasted and a pair of
Pygmy Nuthatches are nesting nearby and visit my suet feeders. A
young Mountain Chickadee has taken over my birdhouse with much
pecking to the interior but does not appear to have attracted a
mate. Many Dark-eyed Juncos have been feeding on the ground with
one Slate-colored among the many Oregons. Several Band-tailed
Pigeons and a Red-winged Blackbird are visiting my tray feeder.
About two weeks ago when I had just gone to bed I heard an owl.
The muffled hoo hooing suggested to me it was a Great Horned
Owl. Something has begun to build a large home in a large space
in the side of our house. The home has many long branches, some
of which are about three feet long. Any guesses what may be
doing this. Steller's Jays have been looking for a place to nest
near the house but I have never seen one carry a branch three
feet long. Would a squirrel build a dray in the side of a house?
It is not high enough up for a Great Horned Owl since it is only
about 12 feet from the ground.
April 13, 2008
Tony Hall
Migrants arrive late at our place because it is in a cool
location on Galeppi Ranch surrounded by conifers. However,
things are beginning to happen around the house. The first
Black-Headed Grosbeak arrived today. A few days ago we were
serenaded by our first warbler which was a brightly colored male
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's). Many Lesser Goldfinches have been
visiting my thistle feeder. Several Red-beasted and a pair of
Pygmy Nuthatches are nesting nearby and visit my suet feeders. A
young Mountain Chickadee has taken over my birdhouse with much
pecking to the interior but does not appear to have attracted a
mate. Many Dark-eyed Juncos have been feeding on the ground with
one Slate-colored among the many Oregons. Several Band-tailed
Pigeons and a Red-winged Blackbird are visiting my tray feeder.
About two weeks ago when I had just gone to bed I heard an owl.
The muffled hoo hooing suggested to me it was a Great Horned
Owl. Something has begun to build a large home in a large space
in the side of our house. The home has many long branches, some
of which are about three feet long. Any guesses what may be
doing this. Steller's Jays have been looking for a place to nest
near the house but I have never seen one carry a branch three
feet long. Would a squirrel build a dray in the side of a house?
It is not high enough up for a Great Horned Owl since it is only
about 12 feet from the ground.
3/14/2008
Bob Battagin
Yesterday (Thursday) morning Tony Hall and I spent a
little time birding in the vicinity of Chandler Road and Quincy
Junction Road. At 2312 Chandler Road there are many thistle and
seed feeders as well as a couple hummingbird feeders. Quite a
few birds visit this location and among the thirty or so
Red-winged Blackbirds we observed a single male YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD. We also observed three LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS, one of
which was on the large snag that is a couple hundred yards south
of 2312 Chandler in the open field. The others were in a couple
oak trees on the hill behind the house immediately east of 2312
Chandler. Also of note were two pairs of WOOD DUCKS in the marsh
adjacent to Clear Creek Road just east of Quincy Junction Road.
Over the course of the morning we noted two dozen Western Scrub
Jays, more than I usually find along Chandler Road.
The preceding day my brother, Jim, and I birded many locations
around American Valley. As many birders have noticed, there are
lots of American Robins around and we saw them everywhere. We
saw over 500 Tree Swallows and a single CLIFF SWALLOW. There was
a GREATER YELLOWLEGS in the seasonal wetlands just south of
Golden Eagle Avenue near the entrance to Feather River College.
At the Quincy Community Service District sewer ponds we found 18
WOOD DUCKS and 4 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES. We saw one of the two
AMERICAN DIPPERS that have over wintered below the Highway 70
bridge that crosses Spanish Creek adjacent to Gansner Park. A
Dark-eyed Junco flock behind the Chevron Station had a single
Slate-colored subspecies. At the Thompson Valley Ranch stock
pond there were 28 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and 17 HOODED
MERGANSERS. Finally, at the spot where Oakland Camp Road crosses
Spanish Creek, at about 6PM, I heard a GREAT HORNED OWL hoot
repeatedly - the first time in the last ten years I've managed
to hear or see a Great Horned Owl in American Valley.
3/2/2008
David Arsenault
The birding in American Valley this last week has been a nice
mix of
remaining winter visitors, early migrants, and residents
enjoying the warm
weather. Last week at the Quincy sewage ponds there were still
about 150
ducks of ten species, mostly RING-NECKED DUCK and also 2
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
as well as 1 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. Today near the
junction of
Chandler and Quincy Junction Roads, signs of spring included a
flock of 10
TREE SWALLOWS, 1 TURKEY VULTURE, and 2 SAY’S PHOEBES. At the
north end of
Chandler Road there was a flock of about 200 AMERICAN ROBINS as
well as a
juvenile GOLDEN EAGLE. The hillside at the north end of Quincy
Junction
Road where it meets the railroad tracks was active with WRENTIT,
SPOTTED
TOWHEE, FOX SPARROW (Rocky Mtn subspecies), ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD,
and MOUNTAIN
QUAIL. The bird of the day, a PINE GROSBEAK, recognized by the
distinctive
combination of vireo-like call notes and finch-like warble, was
heard up the
hill from the tracks towards Mount Hough Road in the pine
forest, but I
didn’t get a visual.
2/29/2008
Bob Battagin
I spent a couple days in American and Indian Valleys the
last couple of days and agree with Tony's and Ryan's comments
about bird movement.
In the Quincy area, on Feb 25 the Thompson Valley Ranch stock
pond had 70 Greater White-fronted Geese and 27 Hooded
Mergansers. There were seven duck species on the stock pond.
There was another Greater White-fronted Goose at the QCSD sewer
ponds as well as 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes among the eight duck
species present there.
In Indian Valley, on Feb 26/27 I found both Ferruginous (one)
Hawks and Rough-legged Hawks (two) still around. There were two
each of Golden Eagle and Bald Eagle. Among the duck species I
found 10 Wood Ducks, 14 Hooded Mergansers, and a single Eurasian
Wigeon. The Eurasian Wigeon was with a large contingent of
American Wigeon in the general area of the flooded fields
opposite the intersections of North Valley Road and Hunt Valley
Road. Also present were 20 Tree Swallows where North Valley Road
crosses the mouth of Indian Valley.
2/28/2008
Tony Hall
The birds are coming back. I just came back from an evening walk
where Lindsay Lane joins the Clear Creek Road. Out in the meadow
I saw two bright male Mountain Bluebirds and a female. Next to
the Ponderosa Pines I saw a pair of Western Bluebirds. Flocks of
American Robin and Canada Geese were active in the meadow and I
detected the still form of a Great Blue Heron in a wet patch in
the meadow. Three pairs of Sandhill Cranes have been serenading
us, especially in the evening from the meadow on the south side
of Chandler Road. One pair would reach for the sky with their
beaks and call. Then another pair would reach for the sky with
their beaks and call. Are they establishing territory for
breeding? Pairs of Mallards are coming to the marsh on Clear
Creek Road near to Quincy Junction Road and I expect the Wood
ducks will be here soon. The squirrels are busy chasing each
other and carrying nesting material around.
2/28/2008
Ryan Burnett
To add to that I saw the first Tree Swallow of the year today
flying over the feather river. Below are the first sightings of
Tree Swallow from the last few years. They always show up on a
warm clear days then disappear on cold and cloudy days until
late March. Also, last week there was a Northern Shrike along
the Feather River in Chester where the Collin’s Railroad crosses
it. Probably the same bird I saw during the Christmas Bird Count
about ¼ mile from here. Ryan.
2008 – 2/28
2007 – 2/18
2006 – 2/9
2005 – 2/26
2/29/2008
Colin Dillingham
Just finished a short bike ride in American Valley. If you are
reading
this message this morning - the weather is great - get out and
enjoy the
sunshine and the birds -
The highlights included:
two adult male tricolored blackbirds. Tricolored blackbirds are
very rare
in Plumas County. Both were perched on a wire over a house at
500 Bell
Lane at 9:30 this morning.
A merlin was perched in a tree adjacent to Quincy Junction Rd
between Bell
Lane and Lee Rd. The merlin was about 100 yards S of Bell Lane
junction.
I've seen less than 10 of these in my 8 years in Plumas County.
Sandhill Cranes were abundant - I counted 37 from Quincy
Junction Rd
between Bell Lane and the bike path.
January 29
Colin Dillingham
Tony Hall and I went birding in Sierra Valley on January
27.
There was a Northern Shrike along Hwy 49 in Plumas County. The
bird was
1.2 miles northeast of the Plumas/Sierra County line. That was
my first in
Plumas County and it made me smile to find it! A loggerhead
shrike was about 2 miles down Hwy 49, this one in Sierra County.
The white-throated sparrow that Bob Battagin found on Dec 19 in
Loyalton
was still present. It was a tan-striped phase bird and is coming
to bird
feeders at 801 Main Street in Loyalton.
Rough-legged hawks were common along Hwy 49 and Dyson Lane in
both Plumas and Sierra County. Little Last Chance Creek canyon
was beautiful with all the frozen waterfalls and huge icicles. A
single American Dipper was along the creek and two common ravens
were inspecting all the ice fisherman out on
Frenchman Lake.
On January 26 I found 2 snow geese on Quincy Junction Rd
opposite the high
school tennis courts.
Today, Jan 29, I found 35 tundra swan and 2 barrow's goldeneyes
at the
Quincy Sewage Treatment ponds. The duck numbers were relatively
high out
there today - for example 135 ring-necked ducks.
January 25, 2008
Colin Dillingham
Just ran across this posting regarding Bohemian Waxwings
in
Chilcoot on Calbirds. Bob
http://sialia.com/s/calists.pl?rm=message;id=172496
January 18, 2008
Tony Hall
Yesterday I saw a nice flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows
on the north end of the bridge on Quincy Junction Road that
crosses Greenhorn Creek. The Field Guides I have looked at do
not comprehensively describe this species. The ones I saw had a
broad yellow band along the top of the head like a 'mohawk' that
in some cases had tinges of green in it and a definite white
eye-ring, especially in the immatures. Some had extensive black
on their heads most did not. Is it possible to distinguish males
from females of this species.
Sorry I missed the Christmas bird counts but I had an emergency
that kept me out of town much of December and through the New
Year.
January 2, 2008
Collin Dillingham
This morning I went looking for the shrike that David
Arsenault found on
Dec 28 by the ponds in Thompson Valley. I did not find the
shrike, but
there were 120 Canada geese, 6 cackling geese and 1 greater
white-fronted
goose. Also a gadwall, 2 hooded merganser and 3 American wigeon
in the
pond. Please let me know if anybody finds the shrike.
December 28, 2007
David Arsenault
Yesterday, in Thompson Valley there was a Red-breasted Sapsucker
at the
corner of Hwy 70 and LaPorte Road, and a large flock of Mountain
Bluebirds
and unknown Shrike at the Thompson Valley Ranch stock pond. In
American
Valley, there was a Hermit Thrush along Greenhorn Creek at Hwy
70 and a
Merlin at the corner of Chandler and Quincy Junction in one of
the large
trees at the entrance to the New England Ranch. Other raptors
included 15+
Red-tailed Hawks, 5 Rough-legged Hawks, 2 Red-shouldered Hawks,
2 American
Kestrels, 1 Ferruginous Hawk, 1 Northern Harrier, and 1 Bald
Eagle.
There will be a lot of raptors for the Sierra Valley Christmas
Bird Count
tomorrow (Saturday Dec 29). Meet at Casa Carmelita in Portola
for breakfast
and count coordination at 6 am.
Please note that a new address has been added and an old one
deleted from
the list so please respond to this message for your next
posting.
December 10
Christmas Bird Counts
The Lake Almanor Christmas Bird Count is Wednesday December
19th. Meet at
the holiday parking lot in Chester at 0800 AM. Pass the word the
more the
merrier (pun intended). Ryan. RSVP to rburnett@prbo.org
The Sierra Valley Christmas Bird Count is Saturday, December
29th. Meet at
Casa Carmelita restaurant at 6:00 AM for breakfast and count
coordination.
Please RSVP to Colin at cdillingham@fs.fed.us or 530-283-7881
(business
hours) 283-1133 (evenings).
December 2
David Arsenault
I went to see the sapsucker on Friday (~3pm) and parked
at the corner of
Clear Creek Road and Brinkham Rd and got out of my car and
flushed the
sapsucker when I approached the oak tree. It didn't return for
the next
half hour. I returned this morning (Sunday ~10am) and parked at
the corner
and just watched the tree from my car. The sapsucker was in the
tree, but
wasn't very observable so I drove up next to the tree and was
able to watch
it clearly from my car for about 15 minutes until Lilly (my
daughter) was
adamant enough about going back to Quincy Junction Rd to see the
horses.
The sapsucker is an immature male (first fall) that has mostly
developed its
adult plumage except on the breast. Interestingly, it also
hasn't developed
the white wing patches apparent in all North American
sapsuckers. The sap
holes in the oak are pretty extensive so the bird has been
around a while
and perhaps plans to stay for the winter, which is unusual since
they
generally overwinter in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Perhaps
it will
depart once the snow comes. Does anyone know if the sap hole
pattern is
unique among sapsucker species. I believe that only Red-naped
make a
complete ring of holes around the trunk, like those seen on the
oak on
Brinkham Rd, but I'm not sure if this is unique to Red-naped.
Colin Dillingham
I finally relocated the red-naped sapsucker yesterday
afternoon (2:05 pm)
after 4 attempts to find it. Although the bird is clearly coming
in to the
oak tree about 40 yards up Brinkman Rd from the Clear Creek Rd
junction
(left side of rd as you face up hill), it is not coming in for
long
periods. After nearly 4 hours of watching the tree, the bird
finally came
in for about 25 seconds before flying away. It fed at the holes
it made on
the tree bole quickly, and then flew off.
Maintain your distance, Tony says the bird is fairly wary. I
watched the
tree from the Clear Creek Rd junction.
Also, I saw 2 ferruginous hawks and 2 rough-legged hawks along
Quincy
Junction Rd in American Valley.
INovember 30, 2007
Colin Dillingham
I just saw the Vermilion Flycatcher again at the Quincy
Sewage Treatment ponds during my lunch break (at 1:30 PM Friday
Nov 30).
The best place to observe the bird is before you enter the gated
property
(so it is accessible on the weekend when the sewage treatment
facility is
closed). From Hwy 70, just after you cross Spanish Creek, turn
onto
Airport Rd and go almost to the end (about 1/4 mile) before you
enter the
sewage treatment ponds. Park opposite the pile of hay bales
(covered with
a large gray dome) and look on the barbed wire fence surrounding
the
treatment ponds, about 100 yards across the grass field. It is
an immature
male, with plenty of red to make identification obvious.
November 30, 2007
Tony Hall
At 11:30 am today I got close looks at the sapsucker. It has a
bright red cap then a black band and a paler red patch on the
nape so it is a Red-naped not a Yellow-bellied and definitely
not a Red-breasted. It has extensive red on the throat with no
white which makes it a male. The oak tree bark has many chisel
marks typical of sapsuckers but quite large and while some are
new many are old. As I mentioned in my last email the oak tree
is on the left about 40 yards up Brinkman Road off Clear Creek
Road in the Galeppi Ranch area which is off Quincy Junction
Road.
November 28, 2007
Tony Hall
I saw a Red-naped Sapsucker at 3 this afternoon in an
oak tree that it appears to favor because it returned their
later. To see the oak tree drive from town on Quincy Junction
Road, turn right on to Clear Creek Road and stop at the junction
of Brinkman Road. Walk up Brinkman about 20 yards, the oak tree
is on the left. It is my understanding that Red-naped Sapsuckers
only visit Plumas County during migration and are rarely seen.
Call me at 283 3052 if you would like my help in locating this
bird.
November 24, 2007
Tony Hall
I saw a very large magnificent bobcat today at 3pm,
which for me is an unusual time to see one. It was in a small
grass field bounded on the left by the road entering Graeagle
and on the far side by the road going to Johnsville. It was
hunting small critters and I saw it catch and eat two of them.
They were small and black, could they have been either voles or
shrews? It was unconcerned that I was on the side of the field
watching it with my binoculars. Since its success in foraging
was so good it might return and provide a very good photo
opportunity for someone with a lens having at least 8x
magnification.
November 18, 2007
Colin Dillingham
We relocated the bird again this morning and last saw it
about 10 minutes
ago 9:35 AM. Also with me were Kyle Merriam, Larry and Peggy
Gustafson,
Kristy Hoffman and Pat (Evans?).
Here is a photo I took this morning (vermilion flycatcher).
November 18, 2007
Colin Dillingham
For those of you who haven't heard - the bird was still
present yesterday.
While I watched the bird for 3 hours, it was seen by at least 19
people
yesterday morning. A beautiful immature male, with substantial
red in the
body plumage and on the crown - unmistakable! David Arsenault
was able to
get photographs yesterday.
It can be seen from outside the sewage treatment ponds. As you
approach
the locked gate you will see some hay bales covered by a gray
tarp covered
structure. Park there and look towards the sewage ponds across
the field.
The flycatcher has been hanging out on the barbed wire fence
surrounding
the sewage treatment facilities and also in the birch trees at
the back
edge of the aeration ponds.
A group of us are meeting again at 8:00 this morning. Bring a
spotting
scope if you have one, the bird is 100 - 200 yards away and it
is difficult
to see well with binoculars.
November 17, 2007
Colin Dillingham
David Arsenault left a phone message last night and said he
found a
Vermilion flycatcher at the sewage treatment ponds. I'm on my
way out
there right now with my wife Angie in an attempt to relocate the
bird.
Hope some of you can make it out to look for it.
November 13, 2007
Bob Battagin
I birded American and Indian Valleys over the weekend.
In American Valley it was nice to see the raptor population
adjusting to the cooler weather. I found winter birds Northern
Harrier, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Merlin, and
Prairie Falcon along Quincy Junction Road. I ran into three
people who asked me about the "big hawk" they had seen west of
Highway 70 across from the airport - a Ferruginous Hawk
patrolling for squirrels and harassing an intruding Cooper's
Hawk. Along the old railroad grade, now bike path, there was a
late Chipping Sparrow foraging with Crowned Sparrows and
Dark-eyed Juncos. Of the 51 Dark-eyed Juncos I observed around
the Valley, two were of the Slate-colored subspecies. There were
three Greater-fronted Geese around, two in the field behind the
Chevron station and one at the pond near Quincy Junction.
Indian Valley had quite a few raptors, also. I counted 26
Red-tailed Hawks driving from Cresent Mills to North Arm via
Stampfli Lane Road. Just west of where Stampfli crosses the
railroad tracks I found a Yellow-billed Magpie in with a flock
of 30 Black-billed Magpies. This is likely the bird Colin
Dillingham reported earlier this year. I was at a large distance
from the bird, but the bill appeared to be yellow-green. Did you
notice the same Colin?
