Re: Lesser Goldfinches on the rise?
Mon, 07 Aug 2000 19:00:57 -0700
From: Lisa Viani
For what it's worth, I've had tons of Lesser Goldfinches for the past several years (I live in Richmond).
Lisa Viani
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Re: Lesser Goldfinches
Wed, 09 Aug 2000 22:01:31 -0700
From: Martha Lowe
These birds were extremeley abundant in Thornhill Canyon (Oakland) this year as well.
Martha
PS I just moved from Thornhill Canyon and am looking forward to surveying the bird population in my new neighborhood (off Ascot Drive in Oakland). So far the highlights have been a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, screaming daily for its parents to come back and feed him, and a small flock of Pygmy Nuthatches that seem to come through at least once a day to visit the Monterey pines on the block.
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Caspian Tern flyovers
Thu, 10 Aug 2000 08:54:06 PDT
From: Mark Rauzon
Yesterday at 4 PM, I heard a faint raucous cry and a peevish answer. Finally after much scanning, I saw a pair of tiny Caspian Terns (~ ~) circling very high above my house in the lower Oakland hills off Park Blvd. It apparently was an adult and a juvenile soaring. This reminded me of one night many years ago when I heard an series of unidentifable squawks. I later realized it was a nocturnal flight of a Caspian Tern flock overhead. Two more observations to mention - At Briones and Sibley Regional Parks, I once saw a Caspian Tern flying low over the hills, evidently returning with food from the delta to the Alameda colony, before the colony moved to Brooks Island.
Good Birding.
Mark Rauzon
Black Tern
Thu, 10 Aug 2000 14:10:50 -0700
From Maury Stern
A Black Tern flew over the Ironhouse Sanitary District ponds in Oakley today at about 11 AM during a Mike-Moran-led East Bay Regional Parks District walk.
Maury Stern
Re: Lesser Goldfinches on the Rise?
Sun, 13 Aug 2000 13:50:40 -0700
From: Rich Cimino
Lesser Goldfinches are also showing a population increase in Pleasanton. Many nest throughout the town.
Rich Cimino
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Contra Costa County, 11 to 13 August
Sun, 13 Aug 2000 19:35:54 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello everyone,
I spent the last three mornings birding in Contra Costa County and had a fair number of good local-interest birds.
On Friday, 11 August, I birded at Piper Slough at the north end of Bethel Island Rd. The gate continues to be locked and I continue to bird there. Highlights included an Osprey, a Green Heron on an occupied nest, and three Bank Swallows. The swallows are very hard to find in the county but may be regular at this time of the year. Also of interest was a Lesser Goldfinch (rare out there), a Cooper's Hawk (accipiters are always quite scarce there), and a spattering of migrants that included 8 Wilson's Warblers, a Yellow Warbler and a Western Tanager. There was also a family group of Blue Grosbeaks.
On Saturday, 12 August, I birded around Pt. Isabel and Marina Bay in Richmond. At least 16 Least Terns were in the vicinity and there were still a couple of downy youngsters on the shell island at the northeast corner of the Albany Crescent. Scoping of Brooks Island from Marina Bay yielded a Long-tailed Duck and 4 Brant. The duck was on the small beach to the left of the dilapidated pier on Brooks Island. This is too far away to bother with unless you have a scope and you definitely need to do it in the morning before the sun becomes a problem.
On Sunday, 13 August, I again stopped at Marina Bay since the Cordell Banks trip was weathered out. I forgot to mention that to get to Marina Bay you exit Hwy 580 at Marina Bay Parkway and head toward the bay. Continue all the way to the end of the road to the very last park. The flat rocks on top of the small hill are very handy for sitting and scoping. Today I was able to pick out several interesting birds on Brooks Island and in the water just in front of the island. The highlight was a Black Skimmer on the beach well to the right of the main part of the island. An extra Brant was present for a total of five. The male Harlequin Duck that has been resident here for years was near the old pier when I got there but wasn't reseen in the next hour. At least three Long-tailed Ducks were in the area as well. Black Oystercatchers have been present on the nearby breakwater (4 there both days) and a Snowy Plover was in the mud nearby this morning. Snowy Plovers are very hard to find in the county, although they may well be regular on the beaches of Brooks Island. Amongst summering birds there are at least 350 Aechmophorus grebes, 40 scaup (likely Greater), and 120 Surf Scoters. Some Elegant Terns were also noted around Brooks Island both days.
Good birding,
Steve Glover