3/25/08

Things are getting back to normal, actually above normal. We got 20 species, just over the median value of 19 for a week 13 but well short of the record 31, which just happens to be the all-time record as well.

See the plots at http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/species_time.html and http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/two_plots.htm

We only missed one of the "regulars", or maybe I should call them the "irregulars". We didn't see a Scrub Jay, but we got everything else on the upper part of the list, which is pre-printed with 9 "(ir)regulars". By the way, if my memory serves me correctly, the list we use was invented by Bill Schaefer, unless, of course, it was invented by Bengt Stridh. I remember that each of these gentlemen invented something, but I can't remember the second invention, or is it the first invention I'm forgetting? Whatever! Maybe they can remember. Kelly Jung invented the website. That I'm sure of. Glenn Hamell probably invented taking a thermometer along, but it's possible he wasn't the first to do that. But I think he was. Ernie Franzgrote invented the Caltech birdwalk, but I was a close co-conspirator. Ahh, I digress.

We had a few standout situations. First, we again observed the House Wren in Tournament Park, near the nest hole. We saw the Red-naped Sapsucker! It was in the usual spot, in the "sapsucker tree". Viveca spotted a rusty colored hummingbird and after several of us got a look at the outstanding male, we realized that this was a Rufous Hummingbird, since its back was all rufous. Good find. We again saw the Black-throated Gray Warbler in Tournament Park. The Raven was still on the nest on Parsons-Gates.

Work-people were grading the lot we bird in just before we get to the maintenance yard, so we couldn't get in there. That may have cost us a Black Phoebe and who knows what else. I don't know exactly what they are up to, but I doubt the outcome will be good for our birding.

Oh, by the way, we just crossed over the 3000 threshold for cumulative person-walks. We were at 2999 before this walk and wound up at 3004. In two years we should cross 1000 total walks walked. One thousand. Ten times one hundred. A lot of walks.

The stats:
The date: 3/25/08
The week number: 13
The walk number: 928
The weather: 68F, sunny
The walkers: Alan Cummings, Glenn Hamell, Viveca Sapin-Areeda, Simon Radford, Sachin Shenoy

The birds (20):

Rock Pigeon
Mockingbird
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
House Finch
Anna's Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Crow
White-throated Swift
Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Cooper's Hawk
House Wren
Red-naped Sapsucker
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Rufous Hummingbird
Bushtit
Cedar Waxwing
Raven

Respectfully submitted,
Alan Cummings
3/26/08
http://birdwalks.caltech.edu

3/18/08

Well the "leader" returned and it didn't turn out too good. Beth suggested I stay away more often! We only got 12 species, setting a record low for a week 12. The last time I walked in week 10, we also set a record low. Last week they got 21 without me. Yikes! I really don't think it's my fault, but a good lawyer could probably get me convicted.

See the plots at http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/species_time.html and http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/two_plots.htm

We did have a couple of highlights. We have two nesting species on campus. We saw a House Wren taking nest materials into the same hole that they nested in last year in Tournament Park. And the Ravens are back on the nest on the north side of Parsons-Gates. This should guarantee us a minimum of two each week.

The other highlight was a Black-throated Gray Warbler. That and the House Wren are a little unusual, so I guess the species count could have even been lower. Next week, week 13, is when the all-time record of 31 was seen. So surely we'll have a big total next week.

The stats:
The date: 3/18/08
The week number: 12
The walk number: 927
The weather: 68F, sunny
The walkers: Alan Cummings, Glenn Hamell, Yolanda Duron, Beth Moore, Peter Mao, Viveca Sapin-Areeda

The birds (12):

Mourning Dove
House Finch
Anna's Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Crow
Black Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
House Wren
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Bushtit
Starling
Raven

Respectfully submitted,
Alan Cummings
3/21/08
http://birdwalks.caltech.edu

3/11/08

Our leader skipped town leaving us with the task of improving upon last week's record low for a 10th week. I am happy to report that our small but fearless band of birders took up to the challenge and I believe we did not disappoint. We certainly had an enjoyable time.

I like to characterize our walks and this one would be "two of each" right from the start. Two Woodpeckers, Nuttall's and Downy, got us started outside the maintenance yard, quickly followed by two Sparrows [House and Chipping -- Ed. note: Chipping later changed to Sparrow, sp.], two Warblers [Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Gray], two Wrens [House and Bewick's], and finally, two Hawks [Red-tailed and Coopers]. A very vocal Spotted Towhee was observed scampering along the top of the bushes in Tournament Park as well. All in all, an interesting walk.

Nearly as notable was what we did not see. Namely, no Mockingbird, no Band-tailed Pigeon, no Acorn Woodpecker. How's that possible?

See the plots at http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/species_time.html and http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/two_plots.htm

The stats:
The date: 3/11/08
The week number: 11
The walk number: 926
The weather: 75F, partly cloudy
The walkers: Glenn Hamell, Viveca Sapin-Areeda, Sachin Shenoy, Beth Moore

The birds (21):

Raven
Crow
Rock Pigeon
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
House Finch
Anna's Hummingbird Sparrow, sp. (was Chipping)
Black-throated Gray Warbler
House Wren
Spotted Towhee
Bewick's Wren
Turkey Vulture
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Cooper's Hawk
Cedar Waxwing
Red-Tailed Hawk

-Beth Moore

Respectfully submitted,
Alan Cummings
3/19/08
http://birdwalks.caltech.edu

3/4/08

Well, well, well. We did it. We set the record for futility for a week 10 of a year. We got 15 species, the lowest ever in 21 years. Yikes! See the plots at http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/species_time.html and http://birdwalks.caltech.edu/bird_data/two_plots.htm

But it was a nice day and we did have 8 walkers, a good number. It wasn't for lack of eyeballs that we scored so low. Maybe it's all the construction on campus. There are three buildings in various stages of development at the moment. It's a mess out there.

We were lucky to get 15. We saw one Mourning Dove and one Dark-eyed Junco. Those could have easily been overlooked. After a reasonably good start to the year, the last two weeks have fallen flat. Hopefully, things will pick up next week. These are supposed to be the best birding weeks of the year. The all time record of 31 was set in week 13. Last week (week 9) and next week (week 11) rank second with 30.

The stats:
The date: 3/4/08
The week number: 10
The walk number: 925
The weather: 71F, partly cloudy
The walkers: Alan Cummings, Glenn Hamell, Viveca Sapin-Areeda, Yolanda Duron, Barbara Ellis, Kent Potter, Simon Radford, Sachin Shenoy

The birds (15):

Rock Pigeon
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
House Finch
Anna's Hummingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Crow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Band-tailed Pigeon
Cooper's Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Black Phoebe
Yellow-chevroned Parakeet

Respectfully submitted,
Alan Cummings
3/4/08
http://birdwalks.caltech.edu