Ornithology 3B Summary (Fall 2008)
If you miss a class, please check this page and study the listed topics in your field guide. For last year's
calendar, click here.
December 18
We completed and reviewed the blackbirds and cowbirds on page 448. My description and photos of a Rusty Blackbird
at Coyote Point are here. Additional Rusty Blackbird
photos are here, here,
here, and here.
My photos of male Shiny Cowbird from Trinidad are here
and here. My photo and description of
a Brown-headed Cowbird trap is here.
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 for Marin Audubon in Tiburon at 8pm on Friday January 2, 2009. Click here for details.
December 11
We completed and reviewed the grackles on page 446. A Common Grackle photo is here.
My descriptions of three Common Grackles in Long beach are here
and one from Guerneville is here. Photos and analysis
of an apparent Brewer's Blackbird X Great-tailed Grackle hybrid is here.
Analysis and photo of a dark-eyed female Great-tailed Grackle is here.
December 4
We completed and reviewed the blackbirds on page 444. Click here
for my photo and discussion of the Yellow-headed Blackbird at Rodeo Lagoon. Click here
for photo and discussion of a female Red-winged Blackbird. Click here
for my photo of a male Red-winged Blackbird in Ohio. Notes by Unitt on Tricolored Blackbird identification are
here. A very detailed article on
the subject is here with photos here.
November 20
We completed and reviewed the Bobolink and meadowlarks on page 442. Bobolink photos are here,
here, here
and here.
November 13
We completed and reviewed the buntings on page 440. Click here
for detailed analysis of a photo of a controversial female bunting in Santa Barbara. Click here
and here for Painted Bunting photos.
November 6
We completed and reviewed the cardinals & allies on page 438. Click here
for my detailed account of a Pyrrhuloxia in Orange County. Dickcissel photos are here,
here, here,
and here.
October 30
We completed and reviewed the grosbeaks on page 436. The text of an article I wrote on grosbeak identification
is here. Rose-breasted Grosbeak photos are here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, and here.
Photos of California's Yellow Grosbeak are here.
This record was not accepted because of questionable natural occurrence. More details are here.
October 23
I had to cancel the class meeting tonight at the last minute because of an illness unrelated to my eye problem
from last week. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
October 16
We discussed sightings of Dusky Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and reviewed the programs
at the WFO conference. Because of worrisome eye symptoms, Rob and Colleen kindly took me to the emergency room
where I was examined and released. Fortunately it was a false alarm and there was no retinal tear or detachment.
I am fine. Thanks to everybody for the help and understanding.
We will start grosbeaks next week.
October 6
We completed and reviewed the buntings on pages 432 & 434. Snow Bunting photos are here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, here,
here and here.
Click here and here
for photos and discussion on Snow Buntings in San Leandro and Byron. A photo of the Pribiloff McKay's Bunting from
31 May 1999 is here. A Little Bunting photo is here.
Rustic Bunting photos are here,
October 2
We completed and reviewed the longspurs on page 430. Click here
for a photo and analysis of California's first Smith's Longspur compared to California's only Sky Lark. Lapland
Longspur photos are here, here,
here, and here.
Note: Next week's class will be on Monday, October 6th.
September 25
We completed and reviewed the longspurs on page 428. Chestnut-collared Longspur photos are here,
here, and here.
My photos of a Chestnut-collared Longspur at Hayward are here
and here. My photos of McCown's and
Chestnut-collared Longspurs in Colorado are here.
A McCown's Longspur photo is here.
September 11
We completed and reviewed the juncos on page 426. My photo of a Dark-eyed Junco in Marin and comments on
subspecies is here. My photo of a Dark-eyed
Junco in San Francisco is here.