The 124th Christmas Bird Count in California

For the 125^th Christmas Bird Count period, 129 counts were completed and reported in California with a total of 377 species recorded (including documented rare species) along with a plethora of exotic species.  The state had mostly recovered from significant winter drought, but only a few counts had some light rain while the vast majority had no rain.  In general, temperatures were normal. Fall River Mills and Mt. Shasta had the lowest low temperature of 20⁰ F while the highest temperature was 83⁰ F recorded in San Fernando Valley.  Counts with more than 100 participants include Claremont, Marin County (southern), Morro Bay, Orange County (coastal), Palo Alto, Point Reyes, Rancho Santa Fe, Richmond (a new CBC), San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Ventura, Western Sonoma County and San Francisco, topped off by Oakland’s 269 participants.  For numbers of species, counts with 200 or more include Rancho Sante Fe, San Diego, Morro Bay and the leader, San Diego, with 219. Overall numbers of species were average for most counts.

The following are the highlights of the counts (only sufficiently documented rare species included). In general it was an average showing for rare species, especially ultra-rare species. Rare waterfowl were in low numbers with a single returning Tufted Duck to Crystal Springs, 91 Eurasian Wigeon over 31 count areas, 28 Long-tailed Ducks in 9 count areas and 18 Harlequin Ducks in 4 count areas. White-winged Scoter numbers continue to be low compared to decades ago with only 227 in the state.

Rare inland Red-necked Grebes were at Angel’s Camp, Sherman Island, Sonoma Valley and Santa Clarita, and the coastal the high count was 35 at Pt. Reyes.  The long-staying and only known Northern Gannet in the Pacific Ocean was found during the count period at Crystal Springs. Following Brown Booby increases in recent years, the only count was San Diego with 7. San Diego also hosted much rarer Red-footed Booby for the fifth CBC record for California and two Masked Boobies. Twelve Neotropic Cormorants in 6 count areas have become normal, although none were reported in the Central Valley where numerous records have occurred in recent years. Nineteen Reddish Egrets on 5 southern CBCs continues the trend of this formerly accidental rare species in southern California. Likewise, 199 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on 13 CBCs was a new record count as this species also accidental in the state only a couple of decades ago and is strengthening its colonization of coastal southern California with a a high of 92 in Thousand Oaks and singles as far north as South Marin County and Monterey for that county’s first record.

Six Zone-tailed Hawks were scattered over four count areas, as this species is slowly becoming a regular wintering bird in small numbers in southern California. Only three Swainson’s Hawk were detected in the Central Valley where a wintering population established in the 1990s appears to be declining. An adult Purple Gallinule way up north in Arcata was an extraordinary find as there are few state records. An American Oystercatcher at Palos Verdes Peninsula was a good record as this species rarely ventures north into California. Nineteen Pacific Golden-Plovers on six CBCs was about normal. Rare wintering shorebirds include; a Bar-tailed Godwit in Arcata, a returning Curlew Sandpiper in Palo Alto for its third winter, seven Rock Sandpipers at their usual locations in Mendocino to Del Norte counties, and the Little Stint back in San Diego for its seventh winter. Rare terns and gulls were absent with the exception of only 3 Glaucous and 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Most rare gulls arrive later in winter in California. Only 5 Barred Owls were reported which is vastly under-reported given the fairly large population known in the North Coast Range and Sierra Nevada. Two Broad-billed Hummingbirds in San Diego were the only ones reported, although the winter period featured quite a few more in the state. Twelve Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers was below the recent average. A Crested Caracara in San Diego was a surprise as this species has not visited the state in recent years.

Rare wintering flycatchers were prevalent. Eastern Phoebes were in Malibu, Hayward-Fremont, Santa Cruz Island, Southern Marin County, Eastern Alameda County and Santa Ana River. A very rare Greater Pewee returned for another winter in San Diego. All Empidonax flycatchers are rare in the region in winter, so it was a great season with; the first state winter record of Yellow-bellied in Arcata, 4 Hammond’s, 2 Dusky, 18 Gray and 7 Western.  Two Dusky-capped Flycatchers appeared with a returning bird to Ventura and another up north in Arcata. Twenty-seven Tropical Kingbirds over eleven count areas was a fantastic showing as were 4 Western Kingbirds on 3 counts.  A great total of 189 Vermilion Flycatchers was a new high for the state with over 28 count areas with a high of 22 at Orange County (coastal). They have been increasing greatly in coastal and non-desert inland sites in southern California as well as venturing into the Central Valley in recent years. The only Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was in San Diego. Thirteen Cassin’s Vireos was a high count and fourteen Plumbeous Vireos was a typical count. Much less expected was the Yellow-green Vireo in Long Beach – El Dorado. Three Northern Shrikes were confined to their Cascade/Great Basin range.

Three Winter Wrens were well documented in Pt. Reyes, Putah Creek and San Francisco. Single Gray Catbird and Brown Thrasher were in San Francisco and Long Beach-El Dorado, respectively. The only longspurs found were 17 Lapland with 11 at Pt. Reyes, 3 at Centerville to King Salmon, 1 at Año Nuevo and two at Tejon Ranch. A Chestnut-collared was at Butterbredt Spring and a Thick-billed was in San Diego. No Bohemian Waxwings were found.

It was a good winter for eastern warblers highlighted by a Black-throated Green in San Diego, a Cape May returning to Los Angeles, a Magnolia in San Francisco, a Bay-breasted in Carpinteria, three Blackburnian with singles at Rancho Santa Fe, Monterey Peninsula, and San Diego; Painted Redstart at South Fork Valley and Los Angeles, and a Grace’s returned to Rancho Santa Fe, with another in Ventura and San Diego. Other more regular vagrant warblers include a Lucy’s in Santa Barbara, 8 Black-and-white, 3 Tennessee, 11 American Redstart, 3 Painted Redstart, 8 Chestnut-sided, 2 Northern Parula and 35 Palm.  Rare wintering western warblers were well represented with very high counts of 5 Lucy’s, I Virginia’s, 1 McGillivray’s, 53 Nashville, 52 Yellow, 46 Wilson’s, 87 Black-throated Gray and 18 Hermit warblers. 

Grasshopper Sparrows are rarely reported in winter in the region but singles at Thousand Oaks, Orange County (northeastern) and two at Cachuma was a typical showing. Ten Clay-colored Sparrows was a good number over 9 count areas. It was a good winter for Swamp Sparrows with 103 in 19 count areas. Harris’s Sparrow had a poor showing with singles at Red Bluff and Angwin.

A decent number of 35 Summer Tanagers and 117 Western Tanagers were recorded. Seven Black-headed Grosbeaks over 5 count areas was above average. A Painted Bunting at Carpinteria and a Dickcissel at Arcata were excellent finds. Three Rusty Blackbirds with singles at Cheap Thrills, San Jose, and Oceanside-Vista-Carlsbad was above average for this severely declining species. Wintering orioles were in good numbers with 11 Orchard, 18 Hooded, 6 Scott’s, but an average number of 44 Bullock’s.

A Cassia Crossbill vocalization was recorded in mixed flock of Red Crossbill types in Crystal Springs that would represent the state’s first record pending records committee review.

Several species had many record counts for CBCs including Canada Goose with six, Bufflehead with five, Brown Pelican with seven, Bald Eagle with seven, Sora with seven, Spotted Sandpiper with six, Hairy Woodpecker with six, Nuttall’s Woodpecker with five, Acorn Woodpecker with five, Red-breasted Nuthatch with sixteen, Cassin’s Kingbird with ten, Vermilion Flycatcher with eight, Barn Swallow with seven, Hutton’s Vireo with six, Western Bluebird with seven, Common Raven with eight, Oak Titmouse with 10, Black Phoebe with eight, Allen’s Hummingbird with six, Bewick’s Wren with seven, House Wren with ten, Rock Wren with five, White-crowned Sparrow with six, Brewer’s Sparrow with seven, Orange-crowned Warbler with nine, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher with six, and White-breasted Nuthatch with seven.