Ornithology 2B Summary
If you miss a class, please check this page and study the listed topics in your field guide. Click here
for last year's calendar.
December 12
We reviewed shorebirds through page 188.
Please preregister if you plan to enroll in the Spring. Click here for details.
Note: I will be presenting a free program on the Birds and Wildlife of Trinidad and
Tobago at the San Mateo Garden Center on January 10, 2008. Click here for details.
December 5
We completed and reviewed the dowitchers on page 188. A first summer Short-billed Dowitcher with analysis
is here. Molting adult dowitchers discussed here
are probably Long-billed. A detailed and somewhat controversial articicle on dowitcher identification is here.
November 28
We completed and reviewed the sandpipers on page 186. Upland Sandpiper photos are here
and here. Buff-breasted Sandpiper photos are here, here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, and here.
My photos of a Ruff at Pescadero are here,
here and here.
Additional Ruff photos are here, here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, here
and here.
November 14
We completed and reviewed the Pectoral and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers on page 186. Click here
for photos and analysis of a controversial Pectoral Sandpiper in Vancouver. Click here,
here, here
and here for photos of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in
California.
Note: There is no class next Wednesday, November 21st because of the Holidays. Classes
will resume November 28th and we will finish page 186 then.
November 7
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 184. Click here
for my description of a White-rumped Sandpiper in Alviso. Click here
for a photo of a Baird's Sandpiper in San Francisco.
October 31
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 182. The notes I wrote on a July 1994 Red-necked Stint
at McGrath are here. Click here for a photo of an alternate plumage Red-necked Stint
at Moss Landing. Another photo of the same bird is here.
Another breeding plumage Red-necked Stint photo from Ventura County is here.
Click here for photos of an alternate plumage Little Stint
in Los Angeles and here for photos of a juvenile Little
Stint in Baja, Mexico. Full details of the Baja bird are here.
Full documentation for the Long-toed Stint at the Salinas Sewer Ponds is here.
Click here for additional photos of that bird.
October 25
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 180. Click here
and here for my photos and notes on
identification of a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper at Half Moon Bay. Click here
for a recent juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper at Arcata. Click here
for a photo and ID discussion of a probable basic adult Semipalmated Sandpiper in Ventura. Click here
my my photo of a juvenile Western Sandpiper at Abbotts Lagoon. Photos and ID discussion of both juvenile Semipalmated
Sandpiper (including "rufous morph") and Least Sandpiper are here.
ID discussion and photo of a bright juvenile Least Sandpiper is here.
October 17
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 178. My photo of Great Knots in Australia is here.
Click here for my photo of a breeding
plumage Dunlin in Ohio. Curlew Sandpiper photos are here,
here, here,
here, and here.
Click here for a video of a Curlew Sandpiper in Orange
County.
Note: This was the last class for Part A. Part B will start next Wedenesday, October 24th.
Please register.
October 10
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 176. Click here
for my photo and discussion of a Ruddy Turnstone at Playa del Rey, California. Click here
for photos of a Pribilof Rock Sandpiper at Ocean Shores, Washington. Click here
for my photo and discussion of a Rock Sandpiper at Playa del Rey, California and click here
for my photos of a Rock Sandpiper at Half Moon Bay.
October 3
We completed and reviewed the godwits on page 174. Click here
for my photos and notes on a Hudsonian Godwit at Alviso; additional photos are here.
Click here for photos and my notes on a Bar-tailed Godwit
at San Gregorio. A stunning series of photos of a Bar-tailed Godwit at Fort Bragg is here.
Bar-tailed Godwit photos from Humboldt Bay are here
and here. Click here
and here for photos of Bar-tailed Godwits in Washington
State. Click here for a photo of an aberrant Marbled
Godwit that was originally thought to be a Bar-tailed Godwit. For additional photos and detailed analysis by Roberson
on that controversial bird, click here. Click here
for my photo and discussion of Marbled Godwits and a Willet at Coyote Point.
September 26
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on pages 170 & 172. Click here
for a photo and discussion of the identification of a Whimbrel. Click here
for details and photos of a Bristle-thighed Curlew in Cresecent City and here
for details including a video of a Bristle-thighed Curlew at Point Reyes.
September 17
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on pages 168. Click here
for photo of a Wandering Tattler and discussion of its nasal groove. Click here
for an article on tattler identification with a photo of a juvenile Gray-tailed Tattler in Washington State.
Note: This was a makeup for September 19. The next class will be Wednesday, September 26th.
September 12
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on pages 164 & 166. Click here
for details and photos of a Common Greenshank in California and here
for photos of Common Greenshanks in Alaska. Click here
for photos of the Wood Sandpiper at China Lake. Click here
for photos and a complete account of the Terek Sandpiper at the Carmel River, Monterey County.
Note: There will be no class next Wednesday, September 19 because of "Back to School
night." Instead class will meet this Monday, September 17 in Bungalow #6 in the back of the Marina School
parking lot.
September 5
We completed and reviewed the shorebirds on page 162. Click here
for photos and analysis of juvenile yellowlegs. Click here
for my photo of a juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs at Pescadero.