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Trip Report by George Chaniot & Cheryl Watson

Sunday November 22, 2009 -- Covelo and Round Valley

Places Visited: Middle Fork Eel at Dos Rios, Greater Downtown Covelo, Covelo Fire House, Fairbanks Road, Dobie Lane, Covelo Sewage Ponds, Black Butte Campground, Sandstone Bluffs, Dos Rios Bridge, and all points between.

Participants: Phil and Kelly Austin, Dave Bengston, George Chaniot, Zeke Cornell, Mike Curry, Anna Marie Heggenhougen. Ben Heggenhougen, Chris Heggenhougen, Geoff Heinecken, Richard Hubacek, Dave Jensen, Kandis Juetten, Karen Mangan, David and Helen Menasian, Lue Owens, Beth Pacheco, Marcia Pratt, Paula Tichenor, Dolores Toivonen, Chuck Vaughn (leader), and Cheryl Watson

Drizzly Beginning
Photo © 2009 by George Chaniot
It was drizzling when we left Ukiah - not an auspicious beginning,...


Group on Dobie Lane
Photo © 2009 by George Chaniot
...but when we arrived in Round Valley, the sun was out. Here on Dobie Lane we saw a Prairie Falcon, Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Say's Phoebe, among others.


Prairie Falcon Coming Prairie Falcon Going
Photo © 2009 by Richard Hubacek Photo © 2009 by David Menasian
Prairie Falcon coming and going over Dobie Lane.

Red-tailed Hawk Red-tailed Hawk
Photo © 2009 by Richard Hubacek Photo © 2009 by David Menasian
Two nice portraits of Red-tailed Hawks.


Lewis's Woodpecker Sitting Lewis's Woodpecker in Flight
Photo © 2009 by Richard Hubacek Photo © 2009 by David Menasian
We saw about 20 Lewis's Woodpeckers, mostly in the 'Valley Oak' section of Dobie Lane.


Viewing White-throated Swifts
Photo © 2009 by George Chaniot
The surprise of the day was the discovery of at least six White-throated Swifts at the Dos Rios Bridge.


White-throated Swift
Photo © 2009 by David Menasian
A White-throated Swift making a pass over the Dos Rios Bridge


WTSWPhotographers
Photo © 2009 by George Chaniot
Richard Hubacek & David Menasian discuss the photography of swifts.


Species: Below is a full list of the birds seen or heard by participants:

Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveller
Northern Pintail
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Killdeer
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
White-throated Swift, at least 6, a very late record for Mendocino Co.
Lewis's Woodpecker, at least 20
Acorn Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Northern Flicker, including one hybrid Red-shafted X Yellow-shafted
Say's Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Rock Wren
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Wrentit
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
CaliforniaTowhee
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

64 Bird Species

Bird of the Day: White-throated Swifts

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Last revised November 24, 2009