Shipman's field notes, Sep 1980

How to read Shipman's field notes

1980-09-05: CA: Marin County
Notable: White-tailed Kite
1980-09-07: CA: Point Reyes
Notable: Black-billed Cuckoo; Blackburnian Warbler; Blackpoll Warbler; Canada Warbler
1980-09-15: CA: Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain
1980-09-20: CA: Palo Alto
1980-09-23: CA: San Rafael
1980-09-28: CA: Marin County
Notable: Broad-winged Hawk; Tropical Kingbird; Prairie Warbler

1980-09-05: CA: Marin County

Notable: White-tailed Kite

@DB: Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

@DBL: Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

@DBTM: Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

So-called because it was full of Tricolored Blackbirds today.

@JO: Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

@LBV: Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

@MR: Point Reyes: McClure's Ranch

@PR: Point Reyes

@Tib: Tiburon

@day: Marin County

Gadwall @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Wigeon, American @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Mallard @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Good numbers, but wary.

Teal, Blue-winged # @Point Reyes

Shoveler, Northern @Point Reyes

Pintail, Common @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Teal, Green-Winged # @Point Reyes

Scoter, Surf 2 @Point Reyes

Scoter, White-winged @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Duck, Ruddy @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Quail, California @Point Reyes: McClure's Ranch

Loon, Red-throated 3+ @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Grebe, Pied-billed

@Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

@Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Grebe, Red-necked 2 @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Cormorant, Brandt's @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Cormorant, Double-crested @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Pelican, Brown @Point Reyes

Over Tiburon.

Heron, Great Blue @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Vulture, Turkey @Point Reyes

Kite, White-tailed

22 @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Amazing number. All flying south.

4 @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Hawk, Marsh #ϕ @Point Reyes

Grasslands generally.

Hawk, Sharp-shinned 1 @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Hawk, Cooper's 1 @Tiburon

Hawk, Red-tailed # @Point Reyes

Original written notes unclear, possibly "mutual attacks with four of the kites."

Kestrel, American # @Point Reyes

Coot, American @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Plover, Black-bellied # @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Plover, Semipalmated @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Killdeer @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: lagoon north

Willet @Point Reyes

Beaches and esteros.

Yellowlegs, Lesser @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Description: Tiny. Bill 1.2 × head.

Behavior: Hyper.

Godwit, Marbled

@Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

@Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Sanderling 1-2 @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Sandpiper, Western @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Sandpiper, Least @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Dowitcher, Long-billed # @Point Reyes: Johnson Oyster Co. area

Phalarope, Northern @Point Reyes

Thick like pond scum.

Gull, Heermann's @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Gull, Ring-billed @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Gull, Western # @Point Reyes

Gull, Glaucous-winged

#a @Point Reyes

#i @Point Reyes

Pretty ratty-looking, huh?

Tern, Forster's # @Point Reyes

Murrelet, Marbled @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach

Off Drake's Beach after the tide started coming back in.

Description: White throat, white below, white in wing, rest dark; small size, small straight bill, eye in dark.

Dove, Rock @Point Reyes

Dove, Mourning @Point Reyes

Hummingbird, Anna's @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Vocalizations: Heard only.

Woodpecker, Downy @Point Reyes

Flicker, Common @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Vocalizations: Heard only.

Empidonax sp. ? @Point Reyes

Description: Some yellowish light color on breast.

Shrike, Loggerhead @Point Reyes

Jay, Steller's # @Point Reyes

scrub-jay sp. # @Point Reyes

Crow, Common @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Flocks overhead, late in the day.

Raven, Common @Point Reyes

Baker Beach and Point Reyes generally.

Swallow, Tree / Swallow, Violet-green @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Swallow, Barn # @Point Reyes

Wren, Bewick's @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Wrentit @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Vocalizations: Heard only.

Bluebird, Western @Point Reyes: McClure's Ranch

Robin, American @Point Reyes: McClure's Ranch

Warbler, Orange-crowned @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Warbler, Audubon's @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Yellowthroat, Common @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Description: Females, female/immatures, and winter males.

Warbler, Wilson's ♂ @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Towhee, California 2 @Point Reyes: Limantour Rd x Bear Valley

Sparrow, Song @Point Reyes

Sparrow, White-crowned @Point Reyes

Junco, Oregon @Point Reyes: McClure's Ranch

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Blackbird, Tricolored # @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Blackbird, Brewer's @Point Reyes

Finch, House # @Point Reyes

Goldfinch, Lesser @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Goldfinch, American @Point Reyes: Drake's Beach: Tricolor Marsh

Sparrow, House @Point Reyes

Buildings and cowlots.

1980-09-07: CA: Point Reyes

Notable: Black-billed Cuckoo; Blackburnian Warbler; Blackpoll Warbler; Canada Warbler

@MR: Point Reyes: Mendoza Ranch

@NR: Point Reyes: Nunez Ranch

@NW: Point Reyes: New Willows

I was experimenting with flash projection rigs around this period, and took a huge, unwieldy rig build around a Fresnel lens maybe 10" x 10" into the thickets of the New Willows. It was way too bulky, and distracted me from an abundance of great rarities that was blasting around inside the thicket.

@PRL: Point Reyes: lighthouse area

@day: Point Reyes

With Leonard Compagno.

Teal, Blue-winged @Point Reyes

Scoter, Surf @Point Reyes

Scoter, White-winged @Point Reyes

Quail, California @Point Reyes

Loon, Common @Point Reyes

Grebe, Pied-billed @Point Reyes

Grebe, Western @Point Reyes

Cormorant, Double-crested @Point Reyes

Cormorant, Pelagic @Point Reyes

Pelican, Brown @Point Reyes

Heron, Great Blue @Point Reyes

Egret, Great @Point Reyes

Egret, Snowy @Point Reyes

Vulture, Turkey @Point Reyes

Hawk, Red-shouldered @Point Reyes

Hawk, Red-tailed @Point Reyes

Kestrel, American @Point Reyes

Merlin @Point Reyes

Coot, American @Point Reyes

Killdeer @Point Reyes

Willet @Point Reyes

Yellowlegs, Lesser @Point Reyes

Godwit, Marbled @Point Reyes

Sandpiper, Least @Point Reyes

Gull, Heermann's @Point Reyes

Gull, Ring-billed @Point Reyes

Gull, Western @Point Reyes

Gull, Thayer's @Point Reyes

Gull, Glaucous-winged @Point Reyes

Tern, Forster's @Point Reyes

Murrelet, Marbled @Point Reyes

Dove, Rock @Point Reyes

Pigeon, Band-tailed @Point Reyes

Dove, Mourning @Point Reyes

Cuckoo, Black-billed @Point Reyes: New Willows

Based on the Northern California Rare Bird Alert following this date, Leonard Compagno and I were either the only people who saw this bird here, or were two of very few who did. We were standing above the thicket on the south side before descending, and this bird hopped off a high perch opposite and dived into the thicket. We both saw it pretty well. ID was based on the size, cruciform shape with long tail in flight, and black bill.

Owl, Great Horned @Point Reyes

Kingfisher, Belted @Point Reyes

Flicker, Red-shafted @Point Reyes

Flycatcher, Willow @Point Reyes

Flycatcher, Pacific-slope @Point Reyes

Shrike, Loggerhead @Point Reyes

Vireo, Warbling @Point Reyes

Jay, Steller's @Point Reyes

scrub-jay sp. @Point Reyes

Crow, Common @Point Reyes

Raven, Common @Point Reyes

Swallow, Barn @Point Reyes

Wren, Bewick's @Point Reyes

Wrentit @Point Reyes

Mockingbird @Point Reyes

Starling, European @Point Reyes

Warbler, Tennessee @Point Reyes: lighthouse area

Location uncertain, based on a dim memory in 2011.

Warbler, Black-throated Gray @Point Reyes: Mendoza Ranch

Warbler, Townsend's @Point Reyes: Mendoza Ranch

Flash projection.

Warbler, Hermit @Point Reyes

Flash projection.

Warbler, Blackburnian @Point Reyes

Warbler, Blackpoll @Point Reyes

Redstart, American @Point Reyes

Warbler, Wilson's @Point Reyes

Warbler, Canada @Point Reyes: New Willows

Towhee, California @Point Reyes

Sparrow, Savannah @Point Reyes

Sparrow, Song @Point Reyes

Sparrow, White-crowned @Point Reyes

Blackbird, Red-winged @Point Reyes

Blackbird, Tricolored @Point Reyes

Blackbird, Brewer's @Point Reyes

Finch, Purple @Point Reyes

Finch, House @Point Reyes

Siskin, Pine @Point Reyes

Goldfinch, Lesser @Point Reyes

Goldfinch, American @Point Reyes

Sparrow, House @Point Reyes

1980-09-15: CA: Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

@BL: Bolinas Lagoon

@HM: Golden Gate NRA: Hawk Mountain

@MR: Mendoza Ranch

@day: Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

teal sp. @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Mallard @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Quail, California @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Pelican, Brown @Bolinas Lagoon

Heron, Great Blue @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Egret, Great @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Egret, Snowy @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Vulture, Turkey @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Kite, White-tailed @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Hawk, Marsh @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Hawk, Sharp-shinned @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Hawk, Cooper's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Hawk, Red-tailed @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Kestrel, American @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Plover, Black-bellied @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Killdeer @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sandpiper, Spotted @Mendoza Ranch

Willet @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Curlew, Long-billed @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sandpiper, Least @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Phalarope, Northern @Mendoza Ranch

Gull, Ring-billed @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Gull, Western @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Gull, Glaucous-winged @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Tern, Forster's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Dove, Rock @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Pigeon, Band-tailed @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Dove, Mourning @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Hummingbird, Anna's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Selasphorus sp. @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Kingfisher, Belted @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Flicker, Common @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Shrike, Loggerhead @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Jay, Steller's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

scrub-jay sp. @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Crow, Common @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Raven, Common @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Wren, Bewick's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Wrentit @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Robin, American @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Starling, European @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Warbler, Orange-crowned @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Warbler, Yellow @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Redstart, American @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Warbler, Wilson's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Towhee, Rufous-sided @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Towhee, California @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sparrow, Savannah @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sparrow, Song @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sparrow, White-crowned @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Blackbird, Red-winged @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Blackbird, Brewer's @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Finch, Purple @Mendoza Ranch

Finch, House @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Goldfinch, Lesser @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Goldfinch, American @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

Sparrow, House @Pt Reyes; GGNRA: Hawk Mountain

1980-09-20: CA: Palo Alto

@DC: Mountain View Duck Club

@DP: Palo Alto Duck Pond

@FB: Palo Alto Flood Basin

@day: Palo Alto

@home: Palo Alto: 3101 Middlefield Road

Mallard @Palo Alto

Shoveler, Northern @Palo Alto Duck Pond

Pintail @Palo Alto Duck Pond

Pelican, Brown @Mountain View Duck Club

Heron, Great Blue @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Egret, Great @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Hawk, Red-tailed @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Kestrel, American @Palo Alto

Downtown Palo Alto; also Park at Page Mill Road.

Gallinule, Common @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Near the dog kennels at the southeast corner of the Flood Basin.

Coot, American @Palo Alto

Killdeer @Palo Alto

Stilt, Black-necked @Palo Alto

Avocet, American @Palo Alto

Yellowlegs, Greater @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Willet @Palo Alto

Godwit, Marbled @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Sandpiper, Least @Palo Alto

Dowitcher, Long-billed @Palo Alto Duck Pond

Vocalizations: By call.

Phalarope, Northern @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Gull, Ring-billed @Palo Alto

Gull, Western @Palo Alto

Gull, California @Palo Alto

Gull, Glaucous-winged @Palo Alto

Dove, Rock @Palo Alto

Dove, Mourning @Palo Alto

Shrike, Loggerhead @Palo Alto Flood Basin

Mockingbird @Palo Alto: 3101 Middlefield Road

Sparrow, Savannah @Palo Alto

Blackbird, Red-winged @Palo Alto

Blackbird, Brewer's @Palo Alto

Finch, House @Palo Alto

Sparrow, House @Palo Alto

1980-09-23: CA: San Rafael

@GGNRA: Golden Gate NRA: Hawk Mountain

@SRaf: San Rafael

Yard of Leonard's friend Warren.

Sparrow, Golden-crowned @San Rafael

Strobe.

1980-09-28: CA: Marin County

Notable: Broad-winged Hawk; Tropical Kingbird; Prairie Warbler

@HM: Golden Gate NRA: Hawk Mountain

@RL: Marin County: Rodeo Lagoon

@day: Marin County

teal sp. @Marin County

Gadwall @Marin County

Wigeon, American @Marin County

Mallard @Marin County

Pintail @Marin County

Quail, California @Marin County

Grebe, Pied-billed @Marin County: Rodeo Lagoon

Pelican, Brown @Marin County

Egret, Great @Marin County

Egret, Snowy @Marin County

Vulture, Turkey @Marin County

Hawk, Marsh @Marin County

Hawk, Sharp-shinned @Marin County

Hawk, Cooper's @Marin County

Hawk, Broad-winged

3i @Marin County

1a @Marin County

Hawk, Red-tailed @Marin County

Kestrel, American @Marin County

Coot, American @Marin County

Gull, Heermann's @Marin County

Gull, Ring-billed @Marin County

Gull, Western @Marin County

Gull, Glaucous-winged @Marin County

Dove, Rock @Marin County

Pigeon, Band-tailed @Marin County

Dove, Mourning @Marin County

Swift, Vaux's @Marin County

Hummingbird, Anna's @Marin County

Woodpecker, Downy @Marin County

Flicker, Common @Marin County

Phoebe, Black @Marin County

Kingbird, Tropical @Marin County

If I recall correctly (in 2011), this bird was hanging around on the banks of Rodeo Lagoon, and was a Northern California Rare Bird Alert stakeout.

scrub-jay sp. @Marin County

Raven, Common @Marin County

Swallow, Tree / Swallow, Violet-green @Marin County

Swallow, Barn @Marin County

Chickadee, Chestnut-backed @Marin County

Wren, Bewick's @Marin County

Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray @Marin County

Wrentit @Marin County

Warbler, Prairie @Marin County

My original paper notes on this species, in their entirety: “Clear yellow below, tail flip, streaky sides; staked out,” but I can't recall where the stakeout was. Another NC Rare Bird Alert bird.

Towhee, Rufous-sided @Marin County

Sparrow, White-crowned @Marin County

Blackbird, Red-winged @Marin County

Finch, House @Marin County

Siskin, Pine @Marin County

Goldfinch, American @Marin County

Sparrow, House @Marin County