Sightings - February 2025

Western Tanager in rather dull basic plumage, Ukiah 01/25/25. Photo by Roger Adamson

January gave us a few rare birds and several “rare-ish” species. One of the latter was a House Wren seen on 01/02 at the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) (CV). There are very few of these seen here in winter. A Rock Sandpiper – these are near annual – continued on 01/03 at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg (RA). A Western Cattle Egret was spotted in the Garcia Flats of the Stornetta property on 01/03 (BK). During the Manchester Christmas Bird Count on 01/04 an American Bittern was found on Hunters Lagoon (RA). A Black-headed Grosbeak, who should have been in Mexico soaking up the sun, in basic plumage was reported from Doolan Creek on 01/04 (DH). Also on 01/04 Barn Swallows were reported from the Ukiah water treatment plant (AD) and near Manchester (SG & RA). An excellent find and decidedly rare for the coast was a Loggerhead Shrike seen on 01/04 near Elk (GG). A Pigeon Guillemot was scoped from Point Arena on 01/04 (GG, CV, PP). That species is nearly all well out to sea this time of year. The last species seen during the Manchester CBC on 01/04 was Nuttall’s Woodpecker (FS & TS). Nuttall’s are common inland, but very infrequent on the coast.

Another species, Harris’s Sparrow, found rarely in the county, initially found in December, continued into the new year on 01/05 in Point Arena town (KW). As many as four Western Tanagers have been seen in Ukiah this winter and they have continued into January, reported 01/07 and nearly every day this month (GG). Bullock’s Orioles continued at the Rose Memorial Cemetery in Fort Bragg on 01/07 (RA). Two Harlequin Ducks were reported on 01/12 off the Virgin Creek beach area (CS). Finally, a second American Bittern was reported from the Ukiah water treatment plant on 01/25 (DS). Most extraordinary for the month was probably the sighting from Point Arena of a Laysan Albatross, also during the Manchester CBC on 01/04 (PP, GG, CV). Laysans are usually not seen within a few miles of shore. So, this was a truly rare sighting.

Thanks to all who reported either to Mendobirds.io or to eBird: Chuck Vaughn (CV), Roger Adamson (RA), Bob Keiffer (BK), Daniel Harrington (DH), Alex Dodd (AD), Sarah Grimes (SG), George Gibbs (GG), Peter Pyle (PP), Fritz Steurer (FS) Tim Steurer (TS), Karen Wilkinson (KW), Chris Szejk (CS), and David Sexton (DS).