Comments: There were no ducks anywhere except for Mallards. We encountered a huge flock of Western Sandpipers which we had to estimate the number of since there were too many of get an accurate count. Many of the 84 Black-bellied Plovers were still in breeding plumage. The terns were noisy and quarrelsome as usual. The Black Skimmers were busy hunting up and down the waterway — they're always so much fun to watch! We also saw a female Northern Harrier sitting on land, preening. The dredge had moved way up past the salt dikes close to the Jamboree bridge. We were told that more money had been received to at least cover the flat areas as planned. Chuck told us about seeing 10-12 Barn Owls flying in and out of the high sandstone cliffs on a recent evening trip he led on Aug. 16. On a sad note, he mentioned that one of the young Ospreys had been found shot dead.

Bird List: Mallard (18), Pied-billed Grebe (1), Brown Pelican (2), Double-crested Cormorant (9), Great Blue Heron (3), Great Egret (6), Snowy Egret (15), Black-crowned Night-Heron (1), Turkey Vulture (5), Osprey (2), Northern Harrier (1), Red-tailed Hawk (1), Clapper Rail (1), Black-bellied Plover (84), Willet (204), Spotted Sandpiper (1), Long-billed Curlew (1), Marbled Godwit (66), Least Sandpiper (12), Western Sandpiper (404+), Western Gull (15), Ring-billed Gull (1), Forster's Tern (11), Caspian Tern (19), Black Skimmer (14), Mourning Dove (10), Black Phoebe (1), American Crow (7), Northern Mockingbird (3), Common Yellowthroat (1), California Towhee (1), Song Sparrow (2), House Finch (3).

Comments: It was high tide and the mudflats were covered with water. (Due to the motor vibrations on this boat, we are unable to use a scope, so we're restricted to binoculars.) As we began our trip, we watched a few Black Skimmers as they flew up and down the channel feeding in the still water. There were no ducks anywhere except for 5 Mallards. We were excited to find that the Belted Kingfishers had returned and saw 5 of them in different areas along the way. Throughout the trip we watched the Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets hunting for food in the grassy areas, their long necks motionless, protruding well above the vegetation. We found 2 Ospreys, one perched on a pole on the dredger and the other in a distant tree on shore. Most of the birds we saw along the shore were inactive except for the egrets which were wading around in the water, busily feeding, and the Forster's Terns. In the cordgrass at the mouth of a little inlet, we discovered a well hidden Clapper Rail. A large number of "peeps" (Western & Least Sandpipers) were seen flying down the channel in groups of 25-50, but they never were close enough for us to properly identify. We did, however, find one flock hunkered down in some dry sand along the shore and they were close enough and still enough for us to distinguish the species. As usual, the pipes from the dredger that run along each side of the channel prevented us from venturing closer to shore for better views of the birds. This was frustrating when we sighted a group of 3 yellowlegs standing by a grassy point, but were unable to get close enough to them for identification. However, it was a beautiful morning to be out in the bay and we had a great time!

Bird List: Mallard (5), Pied-billed Grebe (2), Brown Pelican (5), Double-crested Cormorant (26), Great Blue Heron (6), Great Egrett (14), Snowy Egret (11), Green Heron (1), Turkey Vulture (3), Osprey (2), Red-tailed Hawk (1), American Kestrel (1), Clapper Rail (3), Killdeer (2), yellowlegs sp. (3), Willet (271), Whimbrel (1), Long-billed Curlew (2), Marbled Godwit (70), Least Sandpiper (25), Western Sandpiper (125), peeps (448), Western Gull (3), Ring-billed Gull (3), Forster's Tern (14), Elegant Tern (2), Black Skimmer (10), Rock Pigeon (1), Belted Kingfisher (5), Black Phoebe (3), American Crow (3), N. Rough-winged Swallow (25), Northern Mockingbird (2), California Towhee (1), Song Sparrow (7), Belding's Savannah Sparrow (2), Red-winged Blackbird - all females (35), House Finch (9).

Marine Mammals: California Sea Lion, Elephant Seal, Common Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin, Blue Whale - awesome close-up view!
Birds: Pink-footed Shearwater (6), Sooty Shearwater (2), Black-vented Shearwater (250), Brown Pelican (200), Brandt's Cormorant - (12), Double-crested Cormorant (1), Great Blue Heron (2), Red-necked Phalarope (200), Red Phalarope (1-2), Pomarine Jaeger (1), Common Murre (1-2), Rhinoceros Auklet (1), Black Oystercatcher (3), Heermann's Gull (300), California Gull (60), Western Gull (250), Sabine's Gull (3), Elegant Tern (20), Caspian Tern (2), Common Tern (2), Black Tern (1), Black-crowned Night-Heron (1-heard at the dock), Great Horned Owl (1 - heard at the dock), Rock Pigeon - (1), American Crow, Surf Scoter (3), Whimbrel (1).

Bird List: Canada Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret. Black-crowned Night-Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey , White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingnbird, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, American Crow, Tree Swallow, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Pipit, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and House Finch.

Trip Report: Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Mourning Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Western Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Wrentit, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's), California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, House Finch.

Trip List: 181 American Wigeons, 2 Mallards, 9 Cinnamon Teals, 42 Northern Shovelers, 33 Green-winged Teals, 14 Lesser Scaups, 92 Buffleheads, 3 Ruddy Ducks, 6 Pied-billed Grebes, 4 Eared Grebes, 1 Horned Grebe, 2 Western Grebes, 12 double-crested Cormorants, 3 Great Blue Herons, 7 Snowy Egrets, 4 Turkey Vultures, 3 Ospreys, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 American Kestrel, 3 Clapper Rails, 221 American Coots, 16 Black-bellied Plovers, 6 Semipalmated Plovers, 17 Killdeer, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 74 Willets, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrels, 7 Long-billed Curlews, 128 Marbled Godwits, 760 Western Sandpipers, 7 Short-billed Dowitchers, 111 Long-billed Dowitchers, 53 Western Gulls, 18 Ring-billed Gulls, 1 Heermann's Gull, 6 Forster's Terns, 63 Black Skimmers, 1 Anna's Hummingbird, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 3 Black Phoebes, 5 Say's Phoebes, 2 Cassin's Kingbirds, 1 American Crow, 4 Common Ravens, 6 Northern Mockingbirds, 2 European Starlings, 1 California Towhee, 9 Song Sparrows, 4 Belding's Savannah Sparrows, 12 House Finches.

Trip List: Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon. Northern Shoveler, Cinnamon Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, California Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Western Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, N. Rough-winged Swallow, Wrentit, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, European Starling, Phainopepla, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's), Wilson's Warbler, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch.

Trip List: Ross's Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Cinnamon Teal, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Western Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Green Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, American Avocet, Black-necket Stilt, Willet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Barn Owl, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cassin's Kiungbird, American Crow, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, N. Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, House Wren, Marsh Wren, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat,California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Brewer's Blackbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch, Chinese Swan Goose, Muscovy Duck. (Total: 73 species)

Sat & Sun, April 4 & 5 — East Mojave Preserve
Leader: Steve Sosensky

Bird List: Wood Duck, California Quail, Great Blue Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Mourning Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Cliff Swallow, N. Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Wrentit, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, House Wren, Bewick's Wren, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Hooded Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Nutmeg Mannikin.