Sightings - October 2025
Cocos Booby female, spotted by Tim Bray, photo by Roger Adamson.
Not surprisingly, the last month has brought us numerous migrants. On its way south, a Black-chinned Hummingbird visited a home in Fort Bragg on 8/28 (PP). A Least Flycatcher, only the fourth Mendocino record on eBird, was found and photographed on 8/30 in Point Arena (EH). A Northern Waterthrush was spotted at Usal on 8/30 (AH, SJ). Another migrating warbler, an American Redstart, was reported from the Navarro River State Park on 8/31 (EH). Also on 8/31, a Bank Swallow was seen at Hunter’s Lagoon near Manchester (AH, SJ).
A Rufous Hummingbird was found at Greenwood State Beach (Elk) on 9/1 (EH). An Ash-throated Flycatcher, common in the open oak areas inland but uncommon on the coast, was photographed at Usal on 9/1 (PP, EH). Another Northern Waterthrush was found, this time heard and recorded but not seen, along the Garcia River near south Windy Hollow Road on 9/3 (TB, CK). An Eastern Kingbird was found at Caspar Pond on 9/3 (CL). A third Northern Waterthrush was seen and heard at Greenwood State Beach on 9/5 (JS, TE).
During a half-day pelagic trip, a female Cocos Booby made a quick fly-by close to the Kraken and then kept going south without turning making for frustrating photos on 9/6 (TB, CK, RA). This species was first recognized by the American Ornithological Union in 1889. In 1944 it was lumped with the Brown Booby and only in 2024 was it again recognized as a species, Sula brewsteri. Also on 9/6, an Indigo Bunting female was recorded at the Ukiah water treatment plant (JS, TE). The same day, 9/6, a Northern Parula was found on the Garcia, again from the south Windy Hollow Road access (LK, CC). An Eastern Kingbird, the fifth this year, was found 9/7 on the Haul Road near Virgin Creek in Fort Bragg (LW).
Blue Grosbeak female, found by John Sterling, photo by Roger Adamson.
Returning to Usal, on 9/8 a Brewer’s Sparrow, a Blue Grosbeak, and a Painted Bunting were found and at Howard Creek a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen (TE, JS). Another (or the same?) Painted Bunting was found on 9/12 at Cottaneva Creek (LK), and a Chestnut-sided Warbler was seen at Hardy Creek (LK, JB). Also on 9/12, a Black-necked Stilt, uncommon on the coast, was found at Virgin Creek (LW). Still at Virgin Creek, on 9/13 a hybrid American x Black Oystercatcher was seen and on the same day an all-white (leucistic) Black Oystercatcher was found (SK-J, LW). The latter was possibly a bird that was last reported as a chick about two years ago from the Mendocino Village Headlands. Finishing the second week of September, a Summer Tanager was identified on South Windy Hollow Road on 9/13 (LK, JB).
A fourth Northern Waterthrush was found on 9/15 at the Hopland Research and Extension Center (CV). Returning to the coast, again at Usal, a Magnolia Warbler and a Palm Warbler were found on 9/18 (AB, CvB, OS, LS) and on 9/21 a Tennessee Warbler was reported (TF, SJ, AH, PG). On 9/22, still at Usal, another Painted Bunting was seen (MF). A small flock of Mountain Bluebirds was seen in far east Mendocino County at Anthony Peak, north of Mendocino Pass Road, on 9/27 (TE). Again at Windy Hollow Road on the Garcia River, a Blue-headed Vireo, a Blackpoll Warbler, Broad-winged Hawk, and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were found on 9/28 (TE). Broad-winged Hawk is a first county record and Blue-headed Vireo is a second county record! Congratulations, Todd! Lastly, a Clay-colored Sparrow was identified just west of the Ten Mile River Bridge on 9/30 (PP).
Thanks to all who reported sightings: Peter Pyle (PP), Eric Heisey (EH), Alex Henry (AH), Sharon J (SJ), Tim Bray (TB), Catherine Keegan (CK), Chris Lamoreux (CL), John Sterling (JS), Roger Adamson (RA), Todd Easterla (TE), Logan Kahle (LK), Caitlin Chock (CC), Lisa Walker (LW), Sam Koski-Jones (S KJ), Chuck Vaughn (CV), Jonah Benningfield (JB), Aidan Brubaker (AB), Cedrik von Briel (CvB), Owen Sinkus (OS), Lucas Stephenson (LS), Teale Fristoe (TF), Phil Georgakakos (PG), and Matt Franks (MF).
