Tragic ending for a mega-rare marsh harrier

Tragic ending for a mega-rare marsh harrier: A Boeing 737 on approach to the Newark airport killed a Western Marsh Harrier, only the second ever on the North American mainland.

Sears Point Wetlands Tour - 1.14.2023 - Madrone Audubon / Wetlands restoration education and Birds of Prey Tour

 January 14, Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Sears Point Wetlands aka Baylands/Dickson Ranch (Directions below)
Leader: Larry Broderick
Education walk and Birds of Prey tour. At the stoplight and intersection of SR 37 and Lakeville Highway/ Reclamation Road, turn onto Reclamation Road, go approximately 1/4 mile south to the parking lot on your left. We’ll meet at Sears Point Trail head on Reclamation Road at 10:00 a.m. Follow signs from the parking lot to the Trail head. We’ll walk and tour the area until 10am to 1 p.m., depending on what we see. We’ll walk Dickson trail, Elliot trail and possibly the Baylands trail. We’ll discuss the wetlands restoration project and the importance of wetlands as we look for raptors, other birds and wildlife. Focus on Raptor Identification and beginning, novice birding. 

Questions: (707) 791-0335 or email northcoastraptor@gmail.com to sign up and for more info.

Estero Americano (SLT) Property, Estero Americano Sonoma Land Trust section 9.25.2022

 Sonoma Land Trust, Raptor Hike, 9.25.2022 Estero Americano.

Heavily fogged out day, overcast, cool, Day

A few Red-tailed Hawks, A Kestrel or two, and distant Harriers, from 10am to roughly noon, then we a had a Sharp-shined hawk down by the water as things started clearing, 12:30  A coyote, King Fisher, Snowy and Great Egrets, Great-blue Heron...  not seeing a lot of hawks! 

Then we headed back about 1pm, as we stared the hiking back up the service road and the sky's cleared up a bit, just enough to see a close Harrier, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Kestrel.... Then off on the eastern flank of the coastal hill, we noticed a Coopers Hawk tussling with a Harrier and the Kestrel flew over to strafe them both, suddenly another Harrier appeared, a Peregrine showed up an adult Red-tailed Hawk flew over us, A juvenile Red-tailed hawk appeared on the coastal hill, as all this was going on the fog started getting thick again... and then obscured and almost colorless, a interesting buteo appeared. photos below at very bottom of this post  (juvenile Swainson Hawk) we studied its form and were 90% sure of the SWHA ID, photos later would confirm ..

below some of the raptors we saw.... 

Photographs Alan Wilson and Greg Lavaty.

Northern Harriers 

Examples of two of the accipiter's we saw on the day. 

Sharp-shinned Hawk left, Coopers Hawk right 

(internet photos used here for example, education and non-profit use only)

American Kestrels, we saw a half dozen through out the day

(random internet photos of American Kestrels)

Above photos of read-tailed hawks, Adult, juvenile, adult, juvenile.

Notice the brick red tail of adults and the fine barred tail of the juveniles 

Red-tailed Hawk ID help

Peregrine Falcon, juvenile 1st photo above and silhouette 2nd photo

and .... here is the actual Swainson Hawk we saw, a bit out of season. 

These are foggy photos of the Swainson's Hawk we saw, buteo form, light leading edge of wing, dark trailing edge of wing, correct tail barring. 

 

Lynch Canyon Raptor Hike Oct 22nd Saturday 10am to 1:30pm

 

https://solanolandtrust.org/events/birds-of-prey

Bird of Prey season is back!

Join Larry Broderick for the 2022 - 2023 season at Lynch Canyon and Rush Ranch!

Each year from fall through late winter, raptor expert Larry Broderick of West County Hawkwatch leads weekend hikes and workshops so people can learn about the birds of prey that call the Solano Land Trust properties their home. 

During this viewing season, bring your binoculars and join a group to see the magnificent bids that rely on our protected agricultural open spaces for habitat. Birders of all levels of experience are welcome.

Dedicated to Ken Poerner

By request, Larry Broderick would like to dedicate this year’s Bird of Prey season in honor of our dear friend Ken Poerner, whose tireless dedication to conservation touched every aspect of Solano Land Trust’s work.  Ken passed in early June of this year after a ten-year battle with cancer.  It was Ken who first introduced the Solano Land Trust to Larry, and Larry’s expertise and passion have been an invaluable asset to the land trust and the community we serve for many years.

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Upcoming Hike Dates:

Registration for hikes are required.  Please click the links of the dates below to register.

The hike fee is $10 per person. 

Parking at Lynch Canyon is $8.00 during peak season (April – September) and $6.00 during the off season (October – March)

Saturday, October 1st. - Lynch Canyon

Saturday, October 22nd. - Lynch Canyon

Sunday, November 27th. - Lynch Canyon

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For a complete schedule of West County Hawkwatch events, visit the group’s website at: westcountyhawkwatch.com or its Facebook page.  Or you can email Larry directly at northcoastraptor@gmail.com 

*Photo credit: Pamela Hawken (Pamelarosehawkenphotography.com)

For more information: contact di@solanolandtrust.org or call 707-420-1041

Jenner Hawk Migration Hike October 9th

Come out see some hawks, learn raptor identification, birds of prey natural history and have fun! Sign up with link below. Sunday October 9th 

Sign up here

Or copy and paste link below in browser 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jenner-headlands-preserve-fall-migration-guided-raptor-hike-registration-403817939327?utm-campaign=social%2Cemail&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing

Fall 2022 outings.... lots of options, pick one, pick them all, come see raptors this fall...

 Dates 2022…

September 18^th Estero - Americano, Sunday, Sonoma Land Trust [cancelled] rain

September 24^th Laguna de Santa Rosa, Saturday,  - Redwood Empire Cub Scout’s Hawk and walk, anyone invited.

September 25^th  Estero Americano - Sonoma Land Trust [rescheduled]

October 1^st Lynch Canyon, Saturday, Solano Land Trust

October 9^th Jenner Headlands, Sunday, The Wildlands Conservancy

October 16^th Jenner Headlands, Sunday, Sonoma Land Trust

October 22^nd Lynch Canyon, Saturday, Solano Land Trust

November 5^th Jenner Headlands, Saturday, The Wildlands Conservancy

November 13^th Jenner Headlands, Sunday, Sonoma Land Trust

November 27^th Lynch Canyon, Sunday, Solano Land Trust

For Sonoma Land Trust outings, https://sonomalandtrust.org/outings/

For Solano Land Trust outings, https://solanolandtrust.org/events/birds-of-prey

For The Wildlands Conservancy outings, https://wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/jennerheadlands/publicprograms

For Redwood Empire Cub Scouts Hawk and Walk reach out to Larry northcoastraptor@gmail.com

Even if outing are wait listed, still sign up. Often people cancel and waitlisted folks are called up.

Also, Waitlists show the host organizations of these outings, that demand is high, and we should schedule more.

Jenner Hawk Watch 2021 wrap up and getting ready for 2022

Fire prep at Laufenburg Ranch; Trek No. 100 to Pole Mountain summit; Reta Lockert to retire; Black History Month salutes Corina Newsome; Upcoming virtual wildflower hike

Join the Hawk Watch

Birdwatching your thing? Want to watch the big birds? The Jenner Headlands Hawk Watch group may be for you, and they’re looking for new volunteers. Each autumn, this dedicated group visits the Jenner Headlands Preserve to document raptor activity within the Pacific Flyway coastal section that funnels rare hawks on their migration path. Organized in 2009 by local raptor expert Larry Broderick, and later co-managed by naturalist Dave Barry, the group helps identify migration and overwintering trends among such species as rough-legged and ferruginous hawks. Later, they compare numbers with other groups monitoring raptors in the region. The coastal prairie grasslands on the Jenner Headlands Preserve—managed through bird friendly conservation ranching by Markegard Family Grass-Fed—provide rich feeding grounds and habitat that have been diminished elsewhere due to coastal development. "It's a wide-open expanse that is perfect for hunting," says Larry Broderick. "They've got the wind coming up from the coast, the thermals, three or four different wind patterns that basically funnel the birds right over us." To volunteer with the Jenner Headlands Hawk Watch group during the upcoming raptor season, check their Facebook page. Click here to see the 2021 report via Facebook.   #westcountyhawkwatch

12-18-2021 Lynch Canyon Raptor tour 10am 2pm

12-18-2021 Lynch Canyon Raptor tour, tomorrow! 10am 2pm 

https://www.meetup.com/Solano-Land-Trust-Outdoor-Adventures-Meetup/events/282478472/ 

Details: Bird of Prey season is back!

Join Larry Broderick for the 2021- 2022 season at Lynch Canyon and Rush Ranch!

Each year from fall through late winter, raptor expert Larry Broderick of West County Hawkwatch leads weekend hikes and workshops so people can learn about the birds of prey that call the Solano Land Trust properties their home.

During this viewing season, bring your binoculars and join a group to see the magnificent bids that rely on our protected agricultural open spaces for habitat. Birders of all levels of experience are welcome.

Dedicated to Ken Poerner:

By request, Larry Broderick would like to dedicate this year’s Bird of Prey season in honor of our dear friend Ken Poerner, whose tireless dedication to conservation touched every aspect of Solano Land Trust’s work. Ken passed in early June of this year after a ten-year battle with cancer. It was Ken who first introduced the Solano Land Trust to Larry, and Larry’s expertise and passion have been an invaluable asset to the land trust and the community we serve for many years.

Upcoming Hike Dates:

Registration for hikes are required.
December 18 registration: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=k4v5ckmab&oeidk=a07eiklwl9hc61d0b68

Please visit https://solanolandtrust.org/events/birds-of-prey to register for future dates

The hike fee is $10 per person.
Parking at Lynch Canyon is $6.00 during the off season (October – March)

Dec 18th [Saturday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon
Jan 15th [Saturday] Solano Land Trust Lynch Canyon
Feb 12th [Saturday] Solano Land trust Lynch Canyon

March (TBD)

For a complete schedule of West County Hawkwatch events, visit the group’s website at: westcountyhawkwatch.com or its Facebook page. Or you can email Larry directly at northcoastraptor@gmail.com


For more information: contact di@solanolandtrust.org or call 707-420-1041

Meet The Man Who Shoots At Birds All Day To Keep Them Off A Toxic Pit | ...

If migrating species land on the Berkeley Pit for more than a few hours, they get cooked from the inside out. Now, miners use a rifle, drones, and lasers to scare the birds away.

12-4-2021 Shollenberger / Ellis Creek Facility 9:30am meet

 12-4-2021

Shollenberger / Ellis Creek Facility
Over-Wintering Birds of Prey walk and general birding outing.
Meet at Ellis Creek Water Treatment facility 9:30am we will walk until 12:30 or 1pm, depending on what we see.
We'll walk around the Ellis Creek Facility and venture into Shollenberger Park as well.
Focus on Raptor Identification and beginning, novice birding.
Call Larry at 707-791-0335 for details