Oakland Hills
Mon, 2 Apr 2001 11:38:08 -0700
From: John Luther
Here are a few recent sightings from my home in the Oakland Hills on the south side of Shepherd Canyon near Skyline Blvd. On Friday March 30 there was an Osprey (a new yard bird for me) rising on thermals and then flying north from Shepherd Canyon past Round Top. It pays to look up while grading papers! Also seen, but perhaps residents, were Golden Eagle and Cooper's Hawk and at least 7 Common Ravens. Today, April 2, a singing Townsend's Warbler probably getting ready to depart was a nice contrast to the singing Wilson's Warblers which arrived (at least first detected by me) on March 28.
John Luther
Blue-winged Teal still at MLK Regional Shoreline
Mon, 02 Apr 2001 19:14:07 -0700
From: Lillian Fujii
As of April 1, 2001, a male Blue-winged Teal was still at the Garretson Point area of Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline (north end of Edgewater Dr off Hegenberger Rd).
Lillian Fujii
Warbling Vireo at UC Botanical Garden
Tue, 03 Apr 2001 14:28:02 -0700
From: Tom Condit
On April 1 (just about right on schedule), Marsha Feinland and I saw a Warbling Vireo in the trees below the Mesoamerican hill at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley. We also heard one singing, but don't know for sure if it was the same bird. This was a life bird for Marsha, and looking at my old lists I see that my first sighting of this species was also at UC Botanical (August 9, 1987).
Also seen:
Anna's Hummingbird
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven (heard)
Chestnut-backed Chickadees (mostly just heard)
American Robin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Tom Condit
Golden Eagle at Arrowhead Marsh
Tue, 3 Apr 2001 15:58:51
From: Dustin Alcala
Last Sunday I had an adult Golden Eagle at Arrowhead Marsh [Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline, Oakland] from 3:25 to 3:45 in the afternoon. The bird swooped on an animal in the marshy area of ponds and dikes east/south of the access road to the parking areas for MLK Regional Shoreline off Swan Way. The eagle ate its meal undisturbed for about 15 minutes before taking flight and disappearing to the south.
On another note. I am a relatively new birder to the area. I would love to hear about some of your favorite area for migrants, etc. I'd appreciate any postings or e-mails if that is more appropriate, about local hotspots.
Thanks all, Dustin
Tilden Park and Albany Mudflats
Tue, 03 Apr 2001 19:23:09 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Karen Peterson and I birded Upper Packrat Trail in the Tilden Regional Park Nature Area [Berkeley Hills] this morning, from the Visitor Center to Jewel Lake. American Robins, Song Sparrows, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Steller's Jays, and Bushtits were everywhere. Add in the noise from the Little Farm and the challenge was to pick out individual bird songs from the sonic mix. This is a wonderfully birdy area most days, but particularly in the spring.
There were lots of Wilson's Warblers singing and chipping (we saw 10), at least half a dozen Orange-crowned Warblers singing (we saw 1), some Dark-eyed Juncos chipping and singing, Spotted Towhees calling and singing, Wrentits singing, at least 3 Warbling Vireos singing (we saw 1), and a few Hutton's Vireos around.
Other birds seen included Common Raven, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Allen's/Rufous Hummingbirds, Townsend's Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Turkey Vultures, Yellow-rumped Warblers (1 in breeding plumage), Bewick's Wren, California Towhee, Anna's Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron (an impressive low-level flyby), and a Hairy or Downy Woodpecker. We heard Pacific-slope Flycatchers and American Crow, and we were totally fooled by a Steller's Jay doing a very convincing Red-shouldered Hawk, leaving us uncertain about the presumed hawk we'd heard earlier.
After lunch, we went down to the Albany Mudflats to look at shorebirds. The tide was bottoming out just below 0 feet, so the water edge was out near the mouth of the mudflats. We parked at the foot of Buchanan St (just north of the racetrack) and walked out on the Albany Bulb (the continuation of Buchanan on landfill into the bay). Take either the lower or upper trail - where they rejoin, follow a distinct trail going north and stick with it until you come out at the water. Here you can enjoy the ever-changing gallery of folk art along with the birding.
There were hundreds of shorebirds, and we were able to sit on the bank and watch them from perhaps 20 feet away. Many of the Dunlin were acquiring bright red patches on the back and black bellies. A few Black-bellied Plovers (none close to us, unfortunately) were well along toward breeding plumage. Western Sandpipers were looking quite colorful, but the Sanderlings were just looking a bit scruffy and not yet dramatic. There were a lot of dowitchers at close range, many showing color on the breast and almost peacock-tail patterns on the back, but we couldn't decide whether any of the differences corresponded to species differences rather than just different stages of plumage change. One Whimbrel was wandering around like a lumbering giant in the midst of the smaller birds.
Several Forster's Terns were working the shallow water (most still in winter plumage). There were modest numbers of Greater Scaup and Ruddy Ducks, a pair of Canvasback, some Western and Clark's Grebes, and a few American Coots.
Certainly a day full of lots of birds to enjoy, even if nothing to post on the hotline.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Birding hot spots
Tue, 03 Apr 2001 22:46:44 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Dustin Alcala asked about favorite local birding areas and hot spots, and it seemed to provide a good opportunity to remind everyone of a wonderful resource on the Web, Joseph Morlan's California Birding Pages at
For each county, you will find many useful facts and links, including links to descriptions of many of the best birding sites in that county.
And, once again, I'd like to encourage people to use the EBB list not only to report rarities but also to report arrival of migrants and give for the record accounts of what was seen and heard on a birding outing. These accounts are not only useful to those new to birding or to our area, but will be useful in the future to people trying to figure out how bird distributions have changed.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA