Recent Farallon Finds

Magnolia Warbler, Southeast Farallon Island, CA

It's been busy as ever lately, with lots of new birds coming to the island.  Today is our first slow day in over a week, so allow me to fill you in on some of the goodies that have been turning up.

The migrant passerines continue to move through with Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Hermit, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Townsend's, Black-throated Gray, Yellow-throated, Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, MacGillivray's, and Wilson's Warblers, American Redstart (including one stunning adult male), Common Yellowthroat, Bobolink, Vesper Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Dickcissel, Red Crossbill (there are very few records of this for the island, but this fall has been especially good since it is an irruption year for at least one type on the west coast), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (less than 40 records for the island), Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes, Warbling Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Western tanager, Lincoln's Sparrow, Pacific Wren, and Hammond's Flycatcher as some of the migrants we've seen since my last post.

We are banding dozens of Red-breasted Nuthatches as well, with more coming in each day.  When they come in off the ocean they land on the lighthouse, and begin to glean microscopic invertebrates off of the lichen that grows on it.  They allow very close approach, and one even let me feed it dead kelp flies (slapped from my arms), off of the tip of a pencil.

On the 17th Dan Maxwell and I were up on the lighthouse when we heard over the radio, "ducks flying by the terrace!"  We immediately got on the flock of six birds, and began calling things out.  I immediately said Blue-winged Teal, and over the radio Jim Tietz said, "I think we've got a mixed flock of teal."  Although at the time I thought they were all uniform in size, shape, and plumage, Jim was right, and thanks to some photos by Dan Maxwell (below), we confirmed that we had three Cinnamon Teal, and three Blue-winged Teal. Can you pick out which ones are which?  Here's a hint, look at bill size and shape, and face pattern.  I think you'll find that the wing pattern on these two species is nearly identical.  The Cinnamon Teal were the first for the island in more than 12 years, and the Blue-winged Teal represent the 11th (or 12th?) record for the island ever.

Mixed Teal Flock, Southeast Farallon Island, CA [Photo by Daniel Maxwell]

The Northern Gannet is still around.

One of the few Bobolinks we've had this year.

Farallon Yellow-throated Warbler

Thanks to this web cam on top of the Farallon lighthouse (below), Matt Brady found a Yellow-throated Warbler for us while most of us were still sleeping yesterday morning.  I woke up to Jim Tietz exclaiming, "Yellow-throated Warbler on the lighthouse!" I subsequently rolled out of bed, threw on some clothes and made my way up the hill to begin looking.  It was an easy target. This is the sixth record for the island of this species, and only the third record for fall.

This Chestnut-sided Warbler, a new arrival, was also present this morning up at the lighthouse.

Some Vagrants: My First Farallon Wave

Blackburnian Warbler at the Lighthouse.

Tuesday night the conditions were good for a small wave to hit the Farallons yesterday.  The light south winds and low overcast sky made made my fourth day on the island a good one.  As I was eating breakfast this morning, the first landbirds started dropping in to the lighthouse, with reports of Bay-breasted and Blackburnian Warblers, American Redstart, Olive-sided Flycatcher, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak over the radio.  After my morning sea watch, where I picked up my year Pink-footed Shearwater, I began searching the island for birds, turning up several new arrivals including two Clay-colored Sparrows, several Townsend's Warblers, and the Blackburnian Warbler.  However, it wasn't until I made it up to the lighthouse for my shark-watching shift that I got to see almost all of the vagrants reported on the island for the day.  The only one I missed was Ovenbird.

Tuesday afternoon was good as well, with a couple vagrants arriving in the afternoon including Baltimore Oriole and Tennessee Warbler.

This Tennessee Warbler was present since Tuesday, along with one new arrival on Wednesday.

Bay-breasted Warbler on Lighthouse Hill.

 Magnolia Warbler at the lighthouse

Townsend's Warbler at the Lighthouse

American Redstart at the Lighthouse

Rose-breasted Grosbeak on Lighthouse Hill

Magnolia Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler at the lighthouse

First Days on the Farallons

Northern Gannet.  This is the first Pacific ocean record has been present at Southeast Farallon Island since April.  Today it flew right by while I was white shark-watching from the lighthouse and allowed for some great photos.

My first few days on Southeast Farallon Island have been pretty amazing for me.  Although we haven't had any megas or big waves of migrants yet, it has been a real treat for me just to be here.  Some of the birds we've had just since Wednesday include Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Flycatcher, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bobolink, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Painted Bunting, Western Wood-Pewee, Barn Owl, Chipping, Clay-colored, and Brewer's Sparrows, Lark Bunting, and Lark Sparrow among many others.  Here are some photos.

This Blackpoll Warbler has been around since before I got here, but somehow remained under the radar for the past three days.

One of the several Red-breasted Nuthatches that have been around the past few days.  This one paid no attention to me at all, while foraging in one of the three trees on the island.  It was eventually banded.

This Northern Pintail has been here for several days as well, spending most of its time in "Stinky Pond."

Pelagic Cormorants nest ont the island.

Common Murres nest on the island as well, although their breeding season is over.  This bird is oiled.

Birds aren't the only wildlife on the island.  This adult male elephant seal is one of five pinniped species that can be commonly found on the island.  The others are California and Steller's sea lions, northern fur seal, and...

Harbor seals are another pinniped species on the island.

Ode to The Farallons

Oh you beautiful, rocky islands, covered in mice and smelling like shit,
I made it within reach and you taunted me once before.
But this time, I'll be staying.  See you soon.

That three-line masterpiece (^^^) was inspired by the fact that I am GOING TO THE FREAKING FARALLONS!  Holy crap, I'm getting so psyched about this.  I know it's been a slow summer (Cory and I officially suck), but get ready, because extremely epic and cool things are going to happen (currently knocking on wood), and I intend to share them with you folks.

Countless amazing vagrants have shown up on these Islands, including Brown Shrike and Common Rosefinch among others, and the annual eastern warblers and other landbirds.  Seabirds migrate by the islands throughout fall, as do cetaceans.  Pinnipeds call the islands home, and thus attract (great) white sharks to the nearby waters.  I cannot wait to be part of this wonderful place.

So I hope you haven't forgotten about us.  We're still here, and the blogging will continue shortly.  I leave for California Sep. 5, and arrive on the island Sep. 8.

Until then, here are some photos you may have seen from the day I was supposed to get on the island, but couldn't.

Stay tuned, dear friends.

Luke Musher

Cape May Point Beach in June

By Luke Musher

American Oystercatcher, Cape May, NJ

This afternoon, I went out to Cape May Point State Park to watch the terns that have been hanging around.  Species seen have included Common, Forster's, Least (these first three breed commonly in the area), Royal (Tom Reed watched two copulate a few days ago, but where are they breeding?), Black, Sandwich, and Roseate over the past week or two.  I walked the beach, but didn't find the terns for a little while.  They were in the roped in Piping Plover/Least Tern nesting area roosting with Black Skimmers, at least one of which, but likely several more, was on a nest.

American Oystercatcher, Cape May, NJ

Northern Rough-winged Swallow leaving its nest in the WWII Bunker with a fecal sac, Cape May, NJ

Laughing Gull, Cape May, NJ

I checked the flock of terns and waited around for about 20 minutes, but no Roseate or Black terns were present.  I was leaving when I bumped into Tom Reed who was on his way out to watch the terns until sunset.  I decided I'd stick around.  After some patience Tom noticed a Black Tern that somehow snuck by us and was now roosting with the flock.  That kept us busy for a while, but at around 8 o'clock a gorgeous Roseate Tern also joined.  We also had one third-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull way up the beach (in front of the meadows?).

Black Skimmers (and Black Tern behind), Cape May, NJ

Black Tern, Cape May, NJ

Black Tern, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common Terns, Cape May, NJ

Roseate Tern (center) with Common, Forster's, and Black Tern (way right), Cape May, NJ

WEWA at Palo

Worm-eating Warbler, PRBO Palomarin Field Station, Bolinas, CA 6/10/12 [Photo by Mike Krzywicki]

On June 10, the banding interns at the Palomarin field station caught this awesome Worm-eating Warbler!  Just thought I should share it.  There has also been a Black-and-white Warbler hanging around.  Wish I was still there to experience this rare vagrant.  The last time this species was captured at Palo was in 1979.  Thanks, Mike and Laura for banding and sharing this cool bird!