Biodiversity Big Year - Bird Targets

Hello Fellow Avian Enthusiasts - or Enthusiasts of Avian Species,

The San Benito Biodiversity Big Year stands at 133 bird species. Seventeen more would bring us to the substantial threshold of 150. There are a handful of logical targets to help us get there. Once autumn rolls around, there are several duck species that could be added. But for now, I've winnowed down the realm of possibilities to species to keep an eye out for soon - either before they migrate out for the season or as they start to migrate through. Shorebirds in particular are great to keep an eye out for in the coming month. If anyone is heading out to BLM lands, keep an eye peeled for Chukar. And if you're just in town, try and grab a photo of House Sparrow - no one has documented one in the County yet this year! Other species we might have a shot at in the coming few weeks are listed below. A great resource for checking on seasonality and distribution is on the eBird portal: http://ebird.org/ebird/explore

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
Virginia Rail
Sora
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Marbled Godwit
Dunlin
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Band-tailed Pigeon (autumn at Pinnacles should be good)
Western Screech-Owl (sound recording might be the best bet)
Short-eared Owl
Common Poorwill (sound recording might be the best bet)
Vaux's Swift (perhaps a few will push through on migration - might be a tough photo!)
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird (might be late for a southbound migrant?)
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher (maybe a straggler or two is out there yet as they push south)
Western Wood-Pewee (window is closing as they head south - haven't been vocal for a while)
Cassin's Vireo (getting late...)
Tree Swallow (maybe in the northwestern part of the county?)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (anyone heading to Fremont Peak State Park?)
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush (most have headed south, but we could get lucky with some from the north heading through)
Varied Thrush (keep in mind for the autumn / winter)
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Gray Warbler (late September and into October may prove to be a good bet)
Townsend's Warbler (October is a good bet)
Grasshopper Sparrow (lucky if we could find a straggler)
Chipping Sparrow (reasonable chance some still in area or moving through)
Purple Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch

Happy photo hunting.

Cheers,

Daniel

Posted on August 17, 2016 02:28 AM by danielgeorge