May 5, 2024. Quincy, CA
The title photo of this diary shows my first photo of the Red-necked Phalarope, and I was afraid I wasn’t going to get any better view. But thankfully this bird was very complacent about me being in relatively close proximity, and even a small group of people came walking by while I was getting my photos. The bird didn’t seem to mind.
For information purposes, this bird is a very rare sighting for my area. I have posted this sighting (with photos) to eBird; for Quincy the only other sightings go back to 2015.
My Keith Hansen’s Field Guide to Birds of the Sierra Nevada says
Breeds in the Arctic and winters off the coast of South America. Migrates through the Sierra Nevada. West Slope: Uncommon to rare at low-elevation ponds, marshes, and lakes. Very rare visitor to Subalpine. East Slope: Uncommon except at Mono Lake, where tens of thousands annually stage from late July through September.
The range map at All About Birds indicates the bird is indeed a very long range migrant.
I may have even missed this bird had not another walker out on the path this morning mentioned it to me as I was heading back. As I approached the shallow wet depression area I was vigilant and at first thought it was already gone. Then, small movement out in the grasses.
I would say I definitely have the breeding female:
Females are brighter than males. Breeding adults have a white throat, reddish patch on neck, and gray body with buffy markings on wings. Nonbreeding birds are gray above and white below with a streaky back and black ear patch.
All About Birds
Oh, all right, I’ll let you all off your tenterhooks. [lagniappe link, and now you have to look up “lagniappe”, hee hee hee]
These first two photos were from one vantage point. I worked around to a better vantage point for all the others.
Presenting, the Red-necked Phalarope
One minute video, with polka music soundtrack instead of original audio because the original audio is nothing but wind noise and traffic noise and people talking in the background. Well, I think it works.
For a well-rounded diary, here are some other sights from the morning’s walk out on the Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape, my customary walking area and nicely productive birding patch.
American Valley and the Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape, views around the compass…
...to the southwest
...to the northwest
...to the northeast
...and southeast.
Red-winged Blackbird
Black-billed Magpie
Playing hard-to-get, par for the course.
Ah. That’s better.
Violet-green Swallow. Not considered rare for here even though I don’t see them all that often.
* * * * *
* I’m including the Virginia Rail in my life list now, creating an exception to my own rule of “must be photographed and photo must be of sufficient quality for positive i.d.” I have been unable to see this bird, which is not unusual because of its well known highly reclusive nature, visually, but I sure hear it and have the call on video (as of April 23, 2024). In fact, shortly before getting the photos of the Red-necked Phalarope I heard the Virginia Rail down in a marshy thicket, in the same location where I have previously sighted and caught photos and video of its cousin the Sora.
So, with the Red-necked Phalarope of today this brings my life list total up to one hundred sixty-four.
Ya never know what ya might see! (I did see a Coyote running across the field, but no chance for a photo. I have several, and video as is, so no sweat.)