Hello Tweets -- Long time 'no see'. Please accept my apologies for my abrupt
departure from 'tweeterdom' without so much as a 'good bye' back in late
February nor any replies to various private queries, messages, and
discussions. After such a long almost daily run of rambling posts from
November to mid-February. My father's sudden passing and other family
emergencies sent me offline and back to Missouri for three weeks and from
there pretty much direct to my current field assignment on the central
California coast here at the Point Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, San Luis Obispo
Co. (San Simeon) where we're now in our 5th season monitoring the northbound
Gray Whale cow/calf migration and assessment of this year's calf production in
the Baja calving grounds.

First of all, and in the midst of all the family crises, I was quite surprised
and delighted to find in the #53 issue of "WOS News" the excerpted travelog
('Finches and Owls'). I thought the excerpted version of my daily 'Tweeters'
postings from my 9-day Eastern Washington winter birding expedition to eastern
Washington back in January was very well done and I wish to express my thanks
to those responsible.

I also wish to express my sincere thanks to all of you who offered advice and
thoughts in regards to my February query about spotting scopes. All of that
was most helpful and useful and although I still haven't made the leap yet,
I've decided that the Leica zoom is the one for me. I was cc'd the query and
discussion on binoculars and please accept my apologies for not responding but
I just wasn't really in a good position nor had the time to do so.

Spring Migration at the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, California --
We're well into our third week of the Gray Whale survey. We're already seeing
above average numbers of cow/calf pairs for so early in the season when in
years past, these first three weeks are usually a slow period and numbers
usually peak in late April. This means either the migration is really 'early'
or calf production is significantly higher which wouldn't be a big surprise
since the Gray Whale has been delisted, with the Eastern Pacific population
having fully recovering to pre-whaling levels and may in fact continue to be
expanding. Of course there could be an 'El Nino' factor in here as well but
it's way too early to assess such as yet.

The coastal seabird migration which I monitored extensively during the
1994-1996 seasons seems to be unusually light by comparison to those years.
Whether this is an artifact of 'El Nino', it's hard to say yet. Brant and
Surf Scoters should be packing through by thousands, but so far, daily totals
have yet to exceed a thousand. I've recently heard that there are still about
30,000 on the wintering grounds in Baja and that in 'El Nino' years a
significant number of Brant winter further to the north. Surf Scoters may
prove to be a significant casualty of the 1997-98 'El Nino'. Local sources
here report a significant number of beached birds and many more that are ill
and emaciated.

The loon migration which I have monitored in extreme detail during 1994-96 is
running extremely light as well, especially for the first week of April when
the numbers of Pacific Loons should be increasing exponentally daily. Late
or yet another casualty of 'El Nino'? I've heard no reports from Baja and
from friends and colleagues who've been down there recently have noted no
unusual mortality of dead or emaciated birds washing up on the beaches down
there. It would be interesting and timely to repeat the exhaustive 1996 loon
count especially in light of 'El Nino' but such conflicts too much with my
duties here this season, plus I'm just plain exhausted from all that's turned
life upside-down since February. I can still manage a pretty good assessment
as the Spring progresses without feeling compelled to sit here every waking
minute of my life 'clicking' off on hand counters every single loon that flies
by. Such an effort in 1996 resulted in 600,000 Pacific Loons passing the
point here. During this first week of April, the ratio Pacific to Red-
throated has been running about 50:50, and only by Friday 4/10 did the first
significant flight of Pacific Loons pass which still numbered only into the
very low thousands. The peak flight day in 1997 occurred on 4/13/97 with
45,000. During the morning 'mega-burst' on that date, Pacific Loons were
passing a fixed point here in a steady unbroken stream for 45 minutes at the
rate of 600-1000+ per minute! Few spectacles in nature can compare to such
an unsung avian show as this.

We've already had a couple especially notable ('rare') birds here this season,
and new ones to the growing Piedras Blancas list (272) which includes quite a
good number of vagrants. On Tuesday, March 24, we had no more than just
commenced the first few minutes of the Gray Whale survey season when an adult
RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD flew in off the ocean, circled once around overhead,
then flew off back out to sea. An early season sorte prospecting potential
breeding sites I suppose -- "Eeek; too cold, too wet; get me out-a-here!"
Besides, apart from this locale being way north, the most likely choice of
such a site is already occupied by the incubating Peregrines. "Sorry, No
Vacancy" On Sunday, April 5 during a fully dedicated 3-hour seabird counting
session where I park myself on the great miracle of extended optics (25X150
Fujinon binoculars or 'big eyes' as we call them), an adult BROWN BOOBY was
observed for about 10 minutes just off the point here foraging around, plunge
diving, and generally heading north.

The Rufous Hummingbird migration through here this Spring has been and
currently still is utterly incredible. I recall way back in February on
'Tweeters', discussion suggesting that early sightings in Oregon and
Washington may have signaled an early migration due to the coastal California
rains. I tend to think now that those early PacNW birds may have been
anomalies of some sort and that in fact the Rufous Hummingbird migration is
'late' perhaps by two to three weeks. Certainly in comparison to previous
years here when we commence our Gray Whale surveys in mid-March, the migration
of Rufous Hummingbirds along the coast is at it's tail end and we see only
females. This season, we are up to our eyeballs in adult male Rufous Hummers.
There can be up to 20 at a time swarming like bumblebees over the three
feeders I've set up and scores more are buzzing out over the exceptional
abundance of wildflowers and iceplant. The large pint-size one can be drained
in a single day! I've never seen anything like this since our first season
here in 1994. Rufous Hummingbirds are coastal migrants in the Spring, males
passing through first, usually in mid-March, then followed by females. During
the 1995-97 seasons, it was rare indeed to see an adult male Rufous at all
since I presumed that they had already come and gone before I got here on
site. Things really maxed out and out of control around here on Monday (April
6) with 4 species of hummingbirds all seen on the large feeder at the same
time (Rufous, Allen's, Anna's, and Calliope). There were three Calliope
(1m,2f) here that day and a first for me ever here. Another gorgeous adult
male Calliope was present for several hours on the feeder again on Friday
(April 10). There is no way to really know how many Rufous Hummingbirds go
through here in a day but on really good days, numbers could probably up to
100 or even more! Who knows?! At this writing (April 11), the ratio of male
: female Rufous is shifting quite notably in favor of females but there are
still a lot of adult males around. The hummers really love it around here
when it rains, especially when pouring down, and they will likely be the only
birds out and about while everything else is in hiding.

The funky California weather this winter and early Spring may also be a factor
in the presence of some interesting passerines, otherwise common inland but
seldom seen on the immediate coast including an adult male Yellow-headed
Blackbird which joined the W-c and G-c Sparrows at my backyard ground feeding
station one rainy morning, a female Hooded Oriole which spent a couple of days
helping the hummingbirds drain the feeders, and more Western Kingbirds than
usual, and there are more miscellaneous warblers in the bushes around the
lighthouse than usual which is a classic 'vagrant trap' btw. This third and
most current week, we are beginning to dry out and I think things may be
returning more to normal although more rain is clearly in the picture for
today which is why I suddenly have time to write and post this right now :-).

Our nesting pair of Peregrine Falcons are currently incubating on the Outer
Rock off the NW Point. This is the most classic Peregrine nestsite one can
imagine and nesting birds have been a regular feature here for more than 70
years -- even back when the highway (rt.1) was nothing more than a dirt track.
They haven't always been successful and in 1997 after two failed attempts
(broken eggs) abandoned for the season. But when they are successful and come
fledging time in late May, this place becomes an utter rage! We can't go
anywhere around here, even out the back door of the house which is right next
to the lighthouse without both the male and female swooping in overhead
screaming loud enough to wake the dead and diving on the 'intruders'
repeatedly. One really has to pay attention and watch your head. As long as
one maintains 'eye to eye' contact, these frantic, territorial, and protective
birds will at least maintain a distance of a few feet overhead. Otherwise, as
the nesting and rearing season progresses through the Spring season, we have a
'ring-side' seat at the Gray Whale monitoring site to all their comings and
goings, observing considerable interesting behavior, including numerous kills
of shore and seabirds just off the Point and overhead, cooperative tandom
hunting expeditions, aerial 'talon to talon' food exchanges, etc. The
Peregrines around here are especially fond of dowitchers, Surfbirds,
Bonaparte's Gulls, Red Phalaropes when they are just offshore sometimes
carpeting the 'upwelling line' only a few hundred meters offshore by the
hundreds of thousands, and Cassin's Auklets. One species the Peregrines seem
to totally ignore are Whimbrels and I've always been curious as to why as they
seem like such easy prey targets. We have a 'new' male here this year
(different combination set of leg bands) and he often likes to perch at the
tippy top of the antenna high above the lighthouse, especially early in the
morning before the cold longshore NW afternoon gales set in.

Some interesting news regarding central coast CALIFORNIA CONDOR releases.
Supposedly birds released in the Vantana Wilderness (Big Sur area, Monterey
Co,) and in southern San Luis Obispo and/or Santa Barbara Co. are joining up
in the Santa Lucia coastal mountains and ridges and hanging around up there
right across the road from here (up behind Hearst Castle and Cambria). I
haven't seen any yet but do scan up there from here regularly with the 'big
eyes' and am maintaining a constant awareness to be on the lookout. There is
general optimism and predictions that within the next year or two, condors may
grace the central coastal plain around here. This location is ideal with
several thousands of elephant seals packing the beaches along with the
scattered dead ones (natural mortality). The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Biologists
here at the Piedras Blancas research station have been provided with the radio
frequencies and radio tracking equipment. As long as we are within
unobstructed line of 'sight', even if it's too far to see by eye or even
optical equipment, their radio signature should be detected from here. I
haven't had a chance to scout around on some of the back roads over there yet,
but I'll let you know if and when I get a fix on them that's reasonably easy
to get to. Currently, they are being seen regularly at some favorite spots up
there but those are largely inaccessible and not visible from most viewing
locations.

Incidentally, the Point Piedras Blancas site is a research facility with
considerable research activity going on and as such is CLOSED to the public.
No vehicles, no 'walk-ins'. Sorry. Maybe someday that will change. This
truly is a California 'hot spot' and 'sometimes' vagrant trap that few are
even aware although not every day.

Anyone contemplating a trip up or down the Big Sur coast this Spring between
Carmel and San Simeon, be advised that the sensationally scenic coastal
highway California rt.1 is CLOSED indefinitely so I've been told. 14 major
slides including 2 exceptional ones have covered or all but destroyed the
roadway in places. In a couple of places, the roadbed is simply gone,
erased, and there is no place on the steep and unstable slopes to replace it.
CalTrans was hinting at a late April or early May partial reopening, but it
looks like June, if even then that such will happen. Check with AAA or
CalTrans before taking a trip to the Big Sur coast.

No need to reply to this missive. I maybe download email at this address once
a week if that. Queries and discussion will likely go unanswered simply
because I really don't have the time to do so, so don't be put off by that.
Your comments are still welcome and appreciated just the same. If there is a
general interest on 'Tweeters' to which I am currently set to 'postpone'
(since late February probably 'til mid-December at the next possible
convenience due to my packed field and sea schedule for the remainder of the
year), I shall continue to post periodic updates as the Spring migration
progresses here and along the northern SLO County coast, and from perhaps the
Eastern Tropical Pacific now and then this coming summer and fall. Have a
good birding spring, summer, fall, and less I not forget, have a very Merry
Christmas! :-))

Richard Rowlett <Pagodroma at aol.com>
Gray Whale Survey
Point Piedras Blancas Lighthouse
San Simeon, San Luis Obispo Co., California
(the "home port" as it were: Seattle/Bellevue, WA)