Addendum to San Jacinto Wildlife Area Post, 09/26/13 and Quick Updates

Chet McGaugh sent me a photograph that he took of the juvenile Ruff at SJWS previous to our sighting on 09/26/13.  Our sighting was the last sighting as of 10/01/13 when I received this photo from Chet.  Chet and I had a very quick view and mostly from the back as it took off and flew away.  Therefore, it was difficult to be sure whether or not it was the juvenile or the adult.  Thanks to Chet for sharing this nice photo of the juvenile Ruff taken on September 22, four days earlier than our observation.  Tony Metcalf may be correct that it was the adult.  He had a longer view of the bird than Chet and I had.  However, the white ovals along the rump and tail were clear evidence that it was indeed a Ruff as it flew away.   Thanks for Chet McGaugh for sharing this photo. 

Ruff, juvenile with dowitchers
by Chet McGaugh on 09/22/13

I am posting this from Anchorage, Alaska.  I was in Barrow with Neil Hayward, and we joined John Puschock and Jess Findlay for two days prior to the ABA tour at Barrow led by John and Jess.  Jess was one of the leaders on the Attu trip that I took in May-June this year with John Pushcock. 

The trip to Barrow was a success.  Neil and I added Ross's Gull and saw multiple birds well but did not add Ivory Gull.  On my first day back to Anchorage, I added Spruce Grouse and got full frame photos of a Spruce Grouse on the road to Arctic Valley ski area.  Doreene Linzell from Ohio shared the information about this location after she and Dan Sanders (also from Ohio) found two males displaying to a female.  Dave Sonnenborn had showed me this road when I arrived in Alaska to join Dave at Gambel in early September.   Thanks to Doreene and also Dave for the information about the Arctic Valley location.

I am in a rush to try to get to St Paul this morning; thus, the quick updates.   Before I left California, I added Yellow-green Vireo on 09/27/13 at the tams near Ventura on Laguna Road off of Pleasant valley Road.  My list is now 672.  There are about 56 species that I can still get.  Therefore, 700 for the year is clearly in my sights!