Baja California Peninsula

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R. 6 Jun (JT) and Prado. Basin 18 Jun (JEP). The tale of the Great- ... Edson, Richard A. Erickson, Jeremy Ertl, Michael. Evans (San Diego), Mike Feighner, Terri ...
areas.A WesternTanager at S.E.S.S. 14Jul(PAG,

DebbyParker(J & DP), DharmS. Pellegrini,

GMcC) wasthe earliestfall recordfor the Salton

Dave Pereksta, James E. Pike, Jonathan H.

Edson, Richard A.Erickson, Jeremy Ertl,Michael Evans(SanDiego),MikeFeighner, TerriGallion, Searegion.Black-chinned Sparrows areextreme- Kimball L Garrett (Los Angeles),Peter A. ly rarein the Regionawayfromtheirbreeding Ginsburg,KarenS. Gilbert,Jim Greaves, Kay grounds, sooneat Pt.Loma5 Jun(REW)wasa Green,RobertA. Hamilton, RobertW. Hansen, surprise. Cassin'sSparrows are casual in George andJoanHardie(G&JH),Sandee Harvill, California,and the 3 recordedthisJunwerethe Loren R. Hays, D. Mitchell Heindel, Chef most sincethe influx of 1978;one ne. of SanJuan Hullingsworth(CH1), J. J. Hollister, Chris Capistrano1-2 Jun(DRW,JEP)wasthe2ndfor Howardfor Tom & Jo Heindel(In)o), Roger Orange,and singingbirdsat CastaicL. 8 Jun Higson,BradK. Hines,Mark A. Holmgren,

Plissner, DavidVanderPluym,ThomasRahn, James S.Royer,MichaelSanMiguel,MichaelJ. San Miguel, Sylvia Schmitt (SSc), Brad K. Schram,Don Schroeder, JoyceSeibold(JSe), Ryan Shaw,Brad Sillasen,Bob Smith (BSm),

GregoryP. Smith,SteveSosensky (SSo),Susan Steele(SSt),JohnSterling(JSt),JohnR. Storrer, BrianL. Sullivan, LeeandClaudiaTaylor(L & (BED) and S.EK.R.P.10-13 Jun (BB) werethe Pierre Howard, Andrew Howe, Curtis O. CT), RobertTheriault,JohnTiffany,LarryD. firstrecorded in LosAngeles andKern,respective- Johnson, PaulJorgensen, AndrewandLeakKirk Tripp,PhilipUnitt, StanleyWalens,RichardE. ly. Breedingof Grasshopper Sparrowon San (A&LK), Kenneth Z. Kurland, Denise Webster,Walter Webtie (Ventura),Grant B. ClementeI. was confirmedwhen dependent LaBerteaux,Kevin Larson, Lisa Lavelle, Brian Weyburne, Mary J. Whitfield,JudyWickman, youngwere seen27 Jun (BLS).A Dark-eyed Leatherman, Cin-TyLee,KelliHeindelLevinson, BudWiddowson, DouglasR. W'filick(Orange), (Oregon)Junco in Huntington Beach, Orange 4Dee Lyon, Guy McCaside (Imperial), Chef JohnC.Wilson(Kern),Thomas E.Wurster, Jerry 29Jun(JEP)wasat anunusual summer locality. McGaugh,ThomasMiko, Bob Miller (BMi), Zatorski, Dick Zembal. An additional 25+ In additionto thosementioned in the spring KathyC.Molina,TimMoss, Brennan Mulrooney observerswho could not be individually report, 10 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks(divided (BMu),Stephen J.Myers,KristieNelson, Richard acknowledged submittedreportsthis season; evenlybetweencoastaland interior counties) Norton, Leo Ohtsuki, Akira Okula, Jim and were found5 Jun-26Jul.At least14 Indigo Buntings wereseenduringtheperiod,andthe first nestingfor Orangewas confirmedin HuntingtonBeachwhenrecently fledged young wereseen19Aug(LO,COJ).An earlymigrant LazuliBunting wasin Rovana, In?o25Jun(JLD).

they have our thanks. z•

Baja California

Bobolinks wereat EC.R.6 Jun(JT) andPrado

Peninsula

Basin 18 Jun (JEP).The tale of the Great-tailed

Gracklecontinues, withnesting confirmed during the periodat Morro Bay (TME) and Oso FlacoLake,SanLuisObispo (BS).Scarce along thecoast,a fallmigrantScottsOriolewason the Palos Verdes Peninsula, LosAngeles 27Jul(C-TL). The Black-backed OriolenearImperialBeach, SanDiegowaslastdocumented on 3 Jul(SFB), although it wasreported byanunknown observeron 4 Jul.RedCrossbills werefeeding youngin Ridgecrest 3 Jun,establishing the3rdnesting for

Ensenada Mexicali

e. Kern (JSe).

CORRIGENDUM

Peninsula

•;'•'•.:• .......

TheYellow-billed Cuckoo in California City(N. A. B. 54: 423) should have been credited to MJSanM.

ADDENDUM Blue-winged Warblerswere at G.H.P.18 May

(ScottB.Terrill)andCalifornia City21May(Jon

San Jos4del Cabo

Fisher).

Citedobservers (countycoordinators in bold- Robert A. Hamilton

face): KevinAanerud,DouglasAllen,Onik 34 RivoAlto Canal Arian,Stephen F. Bailey,LarryR. Ballard,Bob LongBeach,California90803 Barnes,RichardBarth (RBa),Ron Beck(RBe),

([email protected])

PeterH. Bloom,EricBrooks, MikeBumgardner, Christopher W. Burney,JaimeM. Chavez,Paul Richard A. Erickson W. Collins,DavidM. Compton(SantaBarbara), LSAAssociates Virginia Conway,Daniel S. Cooper,Brian E. OneParkPlaza,Suite500 Daniels, DonDesjardin, LeroyM. Dorman,Jon Irvine,California92614 L. Dunn, TomM. Edell (SanLuisObispo), Leo ([email protected])

484

Eduardo Palacios Ecologia, Centro deInvestigaci6n Cientifica y Educaci6n Superior deEnsenada Km107 Carr.'fijuana-Ensenada 22860 Ensenada

BajaCalifornia, Mexico (U.S.mailingaddress: P.O.Box 434844

SanDiego,California 92143-4844) (epalacio•cicese.mx)

NORTH

AMERICAN

BIRDS

SouthernPacificCoast BajaCaliforniaPeninsula from the Rio del Rosarioestuaryin Sep n exciting summer season saw Black Rails was 1991 (*U.A.B.C.).

resurrected from presumed extirpationon

the Rio San Telmo, Mexico's first nesting

The BahiadeSanQuintinestuarywashome

Gadwalls, andBlack-legged Kittiwakes remainingin thetropicsintoJuly.Enticingviewswere

to numerous aseasonalshorebirds14 Jun: 60

had of a rail and some swallows well outside

55 Greater Yellowlegs, 175 Willets, 22 Whimbrels, 175 Long-billed Curlews, 450 MarbledGodwits,4 RuddyTurnstones, one BlackTurnstone, 26 Sanderlings, 55 Western

theirknownranges, hopefully inspiring further

WanderingTattlersat BahiaChileno,e.of Cabo SanLucas7 lul (AI). A California Gull far s. at Bahia Chileno, e. of Cabo San Lucas 2 lul (AI) and different

Gullsat BahiadeSanQuintin Black-bellied Plovers, 11Semipalmated Plovers, Glaucous-winged 14 Jun(REW) & 19 Jul(MSM et al.) wereover-

shadowedby up to 7 imm. Black-legged exploration.The geothermalpondsat Cerro KittiwakesnearSanJosfidelCabo4-8 Jul(ph. Prietocontinued to supportimportantpopulaAJ).Thesebirdsfollowed a winterwhenexcepmovedfars.,but tionsof nesting ternsandwaders, anda couple Sandpipers, and225Short-billed Dowitchers; a tionalnumbersof thisspecies Phalarope wasassumed to be an early tropical sightingsat this seasonmay be of unseasonal passerine vagrants addedspice. Wilson's A visitto theimportantnesting We receivedreportsfrom only the northern migrant (REW). More surprisingwere 2 unprecedented. colonyat theCerroPrietogeothermal pondson quarterandsouthern tip of thepeninsula. 19May revealed 305 ad.Gull-billedTerns,with Abbreviations: S.S.P.M. (Sierra San Pedro SAOn 14Jun, Richard Webster redis- 191nestscountedandno youngvis•le yet,24 Mfirtir); U.A.B.C. (UniversidadAut6noma de •covered a BlackRail population ad. Forster'sTernswith 6+ nests,and 128 Black long assumedextirpatedon the Rio San Skimmers with 48 nests;no LaughingGullsor BajaCaliforniaat Ensenada). Telmo.Grinnellreportedthesebirds in CaspianTernswerenestingat the time (KLG, LOONS THROUGHSKIMMERS 1928(A distributional summation of the KCM). At Bahia de San Quintin, 7 Common ornithology of Lower California. Ternswerealreadypresenton 19 Jul(RAH et All threeregularlyoccurringloon species were recorded this summer, with 2 Red-throateds al.). Universityof California Publicationsin and 35 Pacificsat Bahia de San Quintin 14 Jun Zoology32: 1-300), but by 1987Wilbur DOVESTHROUGHBLACKBIRDS (Birdsof Baja California,Universityof (REW;onePacific stillpresent 19Jul•MSM et al.) and one to 6 Commonsat Rosarito17 Jul CaliforniaPress,Berkeley)judgedthe RuddyGround-Doves arenowat leasttenuoushabitatto be lacking.(Excepting2-3 at ly established in thes.CapeDistrict,witha new (GF). Apparentlyoversummering grebesat Bahia de San' Quintin in Feb 1991 Bahiade SanQuintin 14 Junincluded15 Eared, highcountof 10 at EsteroSanJos•7 Jul(AJ). 105 Westerns,and 15 Clark's(REW). Another The CalliopeHummingbirdis apparently one [Euphonia !: 19-21],the•species hasbe•n Earedwas at EsteroPunta Banda20 Jul (MSM et al.).

Nestingheronsat the CerroPrietogeother-

malponds19Mayincluded GreatBlueHeron (11+ nests,mostwith largeyoung),GreatEgret (103+ nests,most with small young),and SnowyEgret (65+ nests,no youngvisible) (KLG, KCM). A total of 4 ReddishEgretsat Bahia de San Quintin 14 Jun-19 Jul (REW, RAH et al.), 2 at EsteroPunta Banda 18-20 Jul

(TEW), 2 CattleEgretsat LagunitaEl Cipr•s17

unrecorded•in theRegion. since GrinneWs•

of the rarest summer residentsof the S.S.P.M.,

summary.)The river may have been poorlyvegetated 14 yearsago,but it now supportsan extensive freshwater marsh dominatedby species of Scirœus, luncus, Typha, Salicornia, Anemopsis,and

but nestingis unconfirmed; a malewasin the upperLaTassajera drainage 16Jun(REW).The

Distichlis, mixed

with

willows

and

tamarisk,from near Hwy. 1 to approximately3.4 mi upstream.

peninsula's first confirmedsummerTropical Kingbirdrecordwasof oneat EsteroSanJos•7 lul (AJ).A 15 lun hikealongthe e. rim of the S.S.P.M.at 2500-2700 m yieldedfive Dusky Flycatcher territories(6 birds),four Warbling Vireo territories(4 birds),a silentRed-breasted

summerrecord),three On 17 J•al,DanC60Per, Mike•San Nuthatch(firstRegional Miguel, analRAHstopp•latWebst•r's Hermit Thrush territories (4 birds), and 5 locationarmedwith a tapeof BlackRail vocalizations, elicitingseveral"grrr"calls from a singlebird. On 19 Jul,at least5 birdsresponded to tapein the riversegment 1.7 to 3.4 mi inlandfrom Hwy. 1. Mostgrowled,but onegavethe"kee-kee-

Gadwallwerefoundnestingin Mexicofor the firsttime thisseason. On a reservoir justn. of LeyesdeReforma25 May,twopairswerepres-

do" vocalization. We also heard at least

Yellow-rumped Warblers, includinga fledgling (REW).Thetip of theBajaCaliforniaPeninsula is a naturalconcentration pointfor migrating swallows. Present in thevicinityof SanJos•del Cabo1-8 Julwerea PurpleMartin, up to 2 Violet-greenSwallows,up to 25 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, one or 2 earlyBarn

one Virginia Rail, and .RAH may have

Swallows 7-8 Jul, and the Petrochelidondis-

glimpsed •i•ClapperRail'i(a species 'not

cussed below.

ent, and a dumpedeggwascollected (RAE;

known from inland locations on the

*U.A.B.C.). Another one to 2 Gadwall broods

coastalslope;confirmationrequired).

MarshWrens,presumably representing the newlydescriedsubspecies clarkae(Proceedings of theSanDiegoSociety of NaturalHistory31, 1996),haverecently beenfoundsummering at Lagunita El Cipr•s,but nestingremainsunconfirmed;upto 10werethere17Jul(MSMet al.). Fourad.and9 juv.Orange-crowned Warblers at 1700-2500m on the w. slopeof the S.S.P.M. 14-17Junwereconsidered likelypost-breeding migrantsor dispersants that bred elsewhere (REW); nestingis not documentedin this range.Twosinging maleWestern Tan•gers were on the w. slopeof the S.S.P.M.17 Jun,at 1700

Jul(DSCetal.),andupto 5 White-faced Ibisat LagunitaE1Cipr•s17-20Jul(RAH et al.) were noteworthy at thisseason. At oneof theBrant's primarywinteringsites, Bahiade SanQuintin,18 werestillpresent14 Jun (REW), with 6 there 19 Jul (MSM et al.).

wereat LagunitaE1Cipr•s3 Jun-17Jul (ph. SGG;RAHetal.).Details willbepublished elsewhere.A femaleBlue-winged Tealat Lagunita El Cipr•s 17 Jul (RAH et al.) and a female CinnamonTealbelowthe Tropicof Cancerat Estero Sanlos•7 Jul(AJ)wereunexpected. Also at EsteroSanJos•,up to 10Redheads wereseen 1-7 Jul (AJ). Redheads nestedat LagunitaE1 Cipr•s,with at leastonebroodproduced 24 May-17 Jul(SNGHet al.).Theonlypreviously documented nestingrecordfor the peninsula

VOLUME

55 (2OO1),

NUMBER

4

Black Rails are not known to breed else-

wherein BajaCalifornia,and an inland populationof ClapperRails would be

equally(if not more)remarkable, sofurther spring/summer investigation of the Rio SanTeltoois encouraged. Naturally,

restraint •ith theuseoftapes--as well.as commoncourtesy(and commonsense) in exploringthis semi-remotearea--are mandatory.

485

and2000m. Oneappeared to be on territory, theotherprospecting. Twobirdsat 1770m on 18 Jul(MSM) mayhavebeenearlymigrants; nestingremainsundocumented on the peninsula.A femaleSummerTanager at E1Descanso 17 Jul (RAH, DSC) was unexpected.Two White-collaredSeedeaters at EsteroSan Jos•7

July(AJ)werethoughttobeimm.malesof one of the West Mexican forms. These birds, or

their parents,may havebeenseenon 8 Apr,

when3 White-collared Seedeaters werereported from the samearea (PP). We believethat

thesereportslikelyinvolveescapees. A 16 Jun walkalongthew. rim of theS.S.EM.at 24002600 m producedrecord countsof GreentailedTowhees(7 territories,8 birds)and Fox

Sparrows (18 territories, 25 birdsincluding2 juvs.;REW).On 20 Jul,a femaleRose-breasted Grosbeakwasconsorting with a maleBlackheadedon the lower Rio SantoTomis, but no

youngwereseen(?RAHet al.). Contributors:Danid S. Cooper,RichardA. Erickson,Gary Friedly,Kimball L. Garrett, Salvador Gonzfilez-Guzmfin, Robert A. Hamilton, SteveN. G. Howell, Alvaro Jaramillo,

Kathy C. Molina, Mike San Miguel, Philip

S tiCave •iAmong 100+ Cliff Swallows atwrites: San Jo,s,• delCabo 5-8Jul were several possible Swallows (AJ).Jaramillo AlmosteveryCliff Swallowhada rufous forehead, typicalof thelargelyMexicanraceswainsoni (=melanogaster) ratherthanthe white-fronted birdsfrom farthernorth (p?rrhonota/tachina). Rumpcolorvariedfrom palebuffto a darkercinnamon. On ads.,the darkthroatwasobvious. Viewsof the presumedCaveSwallowswerealwayssomewhatdistant,and none of the birdswasseen perched. Theserufous-fronted birdshadentirelycinnamonthroatsandfaces,whichset off a darkcap.Rumpcolorwasdark.Twoappeared to bein wingmolt." "Oneconcern isthatsomejuv.Cliff Swallows mayshowcinnamon throatswithalmost no dark,superficially resembling CaveSwallows. I wasunableto determineif the auric-

ularsof thepresumed CaveSwallows werecinnamon or dark.CliffSwallows in juvenal plumage areextremely variable, withmostbut not all showing whitespeckling on the faceor throat.Somearecinnamon on thethroat,buttheyusuallyshowsomedarkonthe lowerthroat,Thevariation in swainsoni hasnotbeendetailed, particularly withrespect to separation fromCaveSwallows, soconservative fieldidentification is necessary. The darkrumps,of these birdsrepresent apotential problem, asCaribbean. CaveS,qallows are

dark-rumped, whereas Mexican birds arepale-rumped. However, thefacttha•2=birds appeared to bein wingmoltmaybodewellfor theiridentification asCaveSwallows; that species typicallymoltson thebreedinggrounds, whileCliff Swallows molt on the win• teringgroundsandmuchlaterin theseason."

'•Given theproblems discussed.above, it isbesttOconsider theseastantalizing obser• vations thatneed,confirmation. Although thelatest A.O,U.Check-list.attributed iheCave Swallowto BajaCalifornia,Howellet aL (Annotated checklist of the birdsof Baja

Caiifornia and BailCalifornia Sur, Mon•ographs inFieldOm. ithol,, inpress.) were unable •tofindanyrecordg. ObServers areencouraged tolookcarefull}, atswallows inthisarea in the future; '•

Palmer,RichardE.Webster,ThomasE. Wurster.

Mexico Hctor Gbmez de Silva Xola 314-E 03100

Mexico,D. E

([email protected])

hisperiod was very rainy inmost ofthe country.Significantcontributionsto this column continue to include records of birds

outsidetheir distributionsmappedin Howell

1. Aguascalientes 2. Distdto Federal

3. Guanajmto 4. Hidalgo 5. M•xico 6. Morelos

7 Queretaro deArteaga 8. Tlaxcala

andWebb(1995),as well as someearlyand oversummeringmigrants, but the warm monthsof luneandJulysawoverallrelatively litfiebirdingactivity.Because the distribution of both residentand transient speciesin Mexico is still so incompletelyknown, the records in thisreportcarrycomparatively litfie commentaryon their relativerarity--indeed, the first three speciesboldfacedbelow are undoubtedlyregularvisitorsto the area but were neverthdess first local records!

486

NORTH

AMERICAN

BIRDS