surfbirds.com
Round-Up by Andy Birch
Photos by: David Blue (David's Website), Dave Lawrence (Dave's Website)
From Oregon on September 17th, a STREAKED SHEARWATER was off Cape Lookout, a PARAKEET AUKLET was off Seaside and another was off Curry County; and an XANTUS'S/CRAVERI'S type MURRELET was off Pistol River. A YELLOW-BILLED LOON was seen flying past Boiler Bay September 22nd.
A September 17th pelagic trip out of Bodega Bay, CA recorded one SHY ALBATROSS six miles out.
From Oregon on September 1st, a MANX SHEARWATER was seen off Boiler Bay.
A September 16th pelagic trip out of Monterey, CA had a distant BOOBY species that may have been a RED-FOOTED BOOBY.
In New Jersey, a COMMON CRANE, in the company of 3 SANDHILL CRANES and one juvenal, had been frequenting the area of northern Cumberland Co., north
of Bridgeton. I have received a report that observers have been able to identify the New Jersey Common Crane as a bird that escaped from a New York aviary in something like 1993; apparently the bird has a distinctively deformed toe on one foot.
A EURASIAN DOTTEREL was found September 24 on the deflation plain at the South Jetty of the Siuslaw River, Oregon. It was reported through September 26. On September 2nd, the CURLEW SANDPIPER was still present at Andrews I. in Brunswick Georgia. Another was seen in Oregon at the end of the month. The southern California Bird Box reported a BAR-TAILED GODWIT in San Diego on September 5th. Another BAR-TAILED GODWIT was reported from the Farallones, CA. From Oregon, a SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER and a RUFF were at the South Jetty of the Columbia River September 1st
From northern California on September 3rd, the RUFF and STILT SANDPIPER continued at Spreckles and State, Alviso Sonoma County. On September 2nd, a female RUFF was at Doran Regional north CA. A probable WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was also at this location. Another RUFF was seen in Monterey Co, CA at the beginning of the month.
From New York's Eastern Long Island on September 2nd,LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were showing up in good numbers confirming a trend of recent years that this bird is in fact a mid-September migrant in that area. The Kentucky RBA reported on September 19th, a first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. A highlight from Ottawa was an adult LITTLE GULL at the Britannia rapids, last reported as of the 15th. Maryland's KELP GULL also kept up appearences. SABINE'S GULLS showed up in good numbers in Kansas at the end of the month. On the 21st, there were an unprecedented 19 SABINE'S GULLS seen flying on both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sides of the Superior Entry breakwaters, along with a carefully identified adult ARCTIC TERN.
Another ARCTIC TERN was seen on the 29th at Pueblo Reservoir Colorado.
From New Jersey, on Sept. 5th ,a Pelagic Trip out of Brielle to Hudson Canyon saw: 5 BRIDLED TERNS. During other trips out of Brielle a combined total of about 50 BRIDLED TERNS were seen.
On September 10th, a LONG-BILLED MURRELET was seen on a pelagic trip out of Bodega Bay, CA. The bird was well seen from the boat about 1/2 mile off shore. The bird may have been visible from Bodega Head.
A WHITE-WINGED DOVE was seen September 2, at the Crown Point Bridge in Addison, Vermont. Another WHITE-WINGED DOVE was at the mouth of the Rogue River in Gold Beach, Oregon on September 6th The male RUDDY GROUND-DOVE is still frequenting a feeder in central Phoenix, AZ. The bird has been there since January.
From Philadelphia, came a report of an estimated 2-300 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS seen in the sky on September 4th over a South Jersey location.
The BERYLLINE HUMMINGBIRD remained at Ramsey Cyn, AZ most of the month. From Pennsylvania, on September 30th , an adult male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was residing in the Minersville area during the week.
The RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER at Illinois Beach State Park was still present at the end of the month.
Outside of St. John's, NF the most significant find was a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER at Bear Cove on Sept. 20. There are only about a dozen records on the Island. The Baltimore Bird Club Birdline reported an adult FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER, in fresh plumage with long, intact tail feathers, found near Assawoman Wildlife Area, in the southeastern corner of DE on 22nd. Another was reported from Texas on the 9th. A SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was reported mid month at D. Barnes Park in South Miami.
Two YELLOW-GREEN VIREOS were being seen in Weslaco TX. Another was at Patagonia, AZ. The YELLOW THROATED VIREO was seen again on Sept' 9th at Carmel, CA
Out of place corvids were reported from southern California, where a large PINYON JAY flock was reported in the Angeles National Forest. Other unusual flocks were seen in Oregon.
A female BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER was seen and heard in Chino Canyon, AZ.
September 7th, an ARCTIC WARBLER was found along Steven's Creek in Santa Clara County, CA. On Sept' 22nd, a NORTHERN WHEATEAR seen on a sandbar in the Connecticut River in Longmeadow, MA.
An immature AZTEC THRUSH was reported in the Chiricahua Mts, AZ on August 30th.
The Texas RBA reported large numbers of Neotropical migrants being seen in the coastal bend Area in the first week. In the Rio Grande Valley, the BLUE MOCKINGBIRD was again being seen in Weslaco. The bird is coming a yard on Kansas St. between 8 and 9 a.m. every day.
From Oregon, the Indian Ford BLUE-WINGED WARBLER and the Hart Mountain HOODED WARBLER were still being seen. Another BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was seen in southern California at the end of the month. From Cape May, a SWAINSON'S WARBLER was found on September 5th at Higbee Beach. From Santa Barbara, CA on September 8, a KENTUCKY WARBLER was found and stayed a few days. On September 22 a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was found at Goleta, CA and another was in Los Angeles at the end of the month. Also from California, a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was found 21st at Yucca Valley and another at Blythe, CA.. Another was also reported on the Farallones, CA on the 7th.
The RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER in French Joe Canyon, AZ was seen and heard singing during the month.
Newfoundland recored some good fall warbler action on September 3rd, with reports of several southern vagrants. On Aug. 27, a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT appeared on a ship located 25 km south of Cape Race. On Aug. 30 a HOODED WARBLER appeared on an offshore oilrig on the Newfoundland Grand Banks. On land, a CANADA WARBLER was seen on Sept. 2 and a PRAIRIE WARBLER was seen on Sept. 3. RED-EYED VIREOS, a common fall vagrant, also arrived.
During one Brielle pelagic trip, there were some landbirds miles offshore. Among them were CHIMNEY SWIFT, YELLOWTHROAT and REDSTART, and a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD that came onboard the boat nearly all the way out, and rode back all the way in (90 miles).
On 10th September, a LARK SPARROW was found in Madison, Connecticut.
Monterey recorded its 3rd PAINTED BUNTING, an immature, on Sept' 2nd at the Big Sur river mouth, and the one that was banded the week prior was also seen again the following week. The 4th record was banded on the 6th!
Meanwhile Utah recorded its 3rd PAINTED BUNTING, an immature was seen and photographed at the Pack Creek Ranch, southeast of Moab, on 7th.
See more photos of this bird at the Michigan Website