Ornithology 3B Summary (Spring
2010)
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. I recommend Lisa Hug's CD on "Feather Watching." It
can be ordered here. My Panama photos
are here.
Class notes by Elisabeth Koster are here.
Please register at eBird and email me
your eBird ID. I can then offer to share field trip lists with you.
Note: Added Field Trip to Lake Merced - May 16th. See here for details and here for bird list.
May 20
We completed and reviewed the grebes on page 76. Red-necked Grebe photos are here,
and here. Click here
for a Clark's Grebe photo. Click here for my photo
and discussion of Western Grebe chicks at Lake Merced.
This will be the last class for the semester. Please preregister if you plan to enroll
in the Fall. Click here for details.
Registration is available starting July 1st. Thank you for your continued interest and support.
May 13
We completed and reviewed the grebes on page 74. My photo of a Least Grebe in Texas is here.
My photo of a pair of Pied-billed Grebes at a nest in Ohio is here.
Click here for a Horned Grebe photo. My Eared Grebe
photos are here and here.
Click here for an Eared Grebe photo with notes on identification.
Recommended reading:
- Blumen, L. 2007. Leucistic Grebe at Mono Lake - An identifiction challenge. Western Birds 38:64–68 (PDF) (Back
Cover)
May 6
We completed and reviewed the loons 72. My photos and notes on a Yellow-billed Loon at Pescadero are here.
Additional Yellow-billed Loon photos are here, here,
here, here,
here, here,
here, here
and here.
April 22
We completed and reviewed the quail on page 68 and the loons on page 70. Click here
for photos of a Red-throated Loon on our recent field trip to the Cliff House. Click here
for a photo of an albino Pacific Loon at Half Moon Bay.
Recommended reading:
- Reinking, D. and Howell, S.N.G. 1993. An Arctic Loon in California. Western Birds 24:189-196 (PDF)
April 22
We completed and reviewed the quail on page 66. Click here,
here and here
for my photos and notes on Gambel's Quail, California Quail and Mountain Quail in California. Click here
for my photo of California Quail chicks.
Recommended reading:
- Johnsgard, P. 2008. Grouse and Quails of North America - Physical Characteristics. (PDF)
April 15
We completed and reviewed the grouse on page 64. Click here
for my photos and description of displaying Sharp-tailed Grouse in Colorado.
April 8
We completed and reviewed the ptarmigan on page 62. A photo of a Willow Ptarmigan from our Alaska Trip is here.
Photos of White-tailed Ptarmigan from Colarado are here
and here.
Recommended reading:
- Montgomerie, R. et al. 2001. Dirty ptarmigan: behavioral modification of conspicuous male plumage. Behavioral
Ecology 12:429-438 (PDF)
- Pyle, P. 2007. Revision of molt and plumage terminologgy in Ptarmigan (Phasianidae: Lagopus spp.) based
on evolutionary considerations. Auk 124:508-514 (PDF)
March 25
We completed and reviewed the grouse on page 60. Click here
for a photo of a Dusky Grouse in Colorado.
March 18
We completed and reviewed the pheasant, turkey and snowcock on page 58. Click here
for my photo of a Wild Turkey and discussion of the "snood" and displays as well as information on the
California introductions.
March 11
We completed and reviewed the chachalaca and partridges on page 56. Click here
for my photo of a Chachalaca in Texas.
March 4
We completed and reviewed the waterfowl on page 50. Ruddy Duck photo is here.
Click here for a photo and commentary on a dark-headed
Ruddy Duck in Ventura.
February 25
We completed and reviewed the mergansers on page 48. Click here
for my Common Merganser photo from Golden Gate Park. Click here
for my account and photos of a Smew in Tuolumne County, California. Additional photos are here.
Click here for a video and photo of the Smew at Tracy.
Luke Cole's poetic account of not seeing this bird is here.
February 18
We completed and reviewed the diving ducks on page 46. Click here
for a photo of a Long-tailed Duck in Berkeley. Additional Long-tailed Duck photos are here,
here, here,
here, here
and here. . Click here
for photos and detailed discussion of female goldeneye identification. More female goldeneye comparisons are here. Click here
for photo and discussion of a female Common Goldeneye. Click here
for my photos of an apparent hybrid Barrow's Goldeneye X Hooded Merganser at Lake Merritt. My article on this bird
appeared in Western Birds 36:279-282, 2005. (Click here
for a pdf of this paper and here for the back cover photos). A more recent photo of this
bird is here. Click here for a photo of an apparent
Bufflehead X Common Goldeneye.
David Sibley has a useful articles on female goldeneyes here
and here.
February 11
We completed and reviewed the sea ducks on page 44. Click here
and here for my photos of a male Harlequin
Ducks at Oyster Point and Coyote Point. Further information on the status of Harlequin Duck in California is here.
Click here for photos
of the mystery sapsucker from Strybing Arboretum. I agree that it appears to be a hybrid Red-breasted X Red-naped
Sapsucker.
