Tufted Duck at Lake Merritt
Sat, 14 Apr 2001 10:37:34 -0700
From: Mike Ezekiel
Returned from vacation to find the female Tufted Duck just where I left it at Lake Merritt in Oakland - between the Rotary Nature Center and the refuge islands. Its tufts seem to be getting longer.
Mike Ezekiel
Oakland
Re: Great Horned Owl calls
Sat, 14 Apr 2001 10:34:39 -0700
From: Russ Wilson
Greetings!
Here's one more vote for the deep voice of the male Great Horned Owl. This comes from Allan W. Eckert, in his book, The Owls of North America:
There is considerable sexual difference in the vocal quality and delivery of the birds. The calls given by the male are generally quite a bit lower, more elaborate, mellower, longer-lasting, and more musical than those issued by the female.
Variations of the basic calls include these:
... from the female, a sound like KEEE-uh KEEE-uh, most reminiscent of a large soaring hawk.
... a sound made while incubating, rather softly voiced, which can be written as Urrrrr-Urrrrr.
... an explosively laughing scream, uttered by angry female, sounding like WHAAA WHAAAAA-A-A-A-AARRRRK!
... a remarkably catlike cry of MEEE-OWwwww.
... a barking call like a hound baying deep in a distant woods.
... soft, cooing notes of almost dovelike quality.
... a gargled, gasping sound like someone being choked.
... a tremulous, wavering cry not unlike that uttered by the Eastern Screech Owl, but much louder and somewhat harsher.
There you have it. If you hear strange sounds coming from the woodland it's probably a Great Horned Owl.
(Aside: Sixty years ago I had a Great Horned Owl for a pet. It could fly free, so I kept the attic window open for it to come and go as it pleased. It enjoyed perching on my shoulder and going for hikes with me. Sharp toenails!)
Russ Wilson
Original Message Subject Index
Free end caps for Kowa TSN-type scope
Sat, 14 Apr 2001 10:40:56 -0700
From: Mike Ezekiel
Alas, my Kowa scope was ripped off while visiting in France - don't leave anything of value in your trunk ever, I guess. I suppose living in the relatively "safer" Bay Area had inured me to the danger of getting ripped.
Does anyone need - free - end caps for their Kowa TSN scope? The only thing I have left are the objestive and eyepiece caps. E-mail me and I will mail them to you for the cost of the postage.
Mike Ezekiel
Oakland, CA
Editor's Note: Send e-mail to me and I'll forward it to Mike. Thanks, Larry
Mitchell Canyon
Sat, 14 Apr 2001 19:20:46 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello all,
This morning on a brief walk up Mitchell Canyon in Mount Diablo State Park [south end of Mitchell Canyon Dr from Clayton], we had 48 species in about 2 hours. The place wasn't exactly choked with migrants but there were 4 Hammond's Flycatchers, 15+ Wilson's Warblers, 2 Nashville Warblers, 2 Black-throated Gray Warblers, lots of singing Warbling Vireos, 3 Cassin's Vireos, 2 Pacific-slope Flycatchers, 3 Black-headed Grosbeaks and numerous Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
Also of interest were three pairs of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. Some years there are none in this canyon, some years there is a pair, but I don't believe there have ever been three pairs.
Good birding,
Steve Glover
Dublin
Black-headed Grosbeak in Berkeley
Sun, 15 Apr 2001 09:36:55 -0700
From: Kay Loughman
Yesterday afternoon a female Black-headed Grosbeak arrived at my feeder. A First of the season for me - and right on schedule!
Kay
Lafayette birds
Sun, 15 Apr 2001 15:05:21 PDT
From: Jim Tietz
Hi-
Today at my house in Lafayette were two singing Black-headed Grosbeaks and a Pacific-slope Flycatcher. An Orange-crowned Warbler was heard chipping, which was a yard bird, and a fly-over Acorn Woodpecker and male Brown-headed Cowbird were also yard birds. Only 3 Cedar Waxwings, 2 Pine Siskins and 3 American Goldfinches left.
At the Lafayette Reservoir, a short walk revealed 2 singing Pacific-slope Flycatchers, a flyby Ash-throated Flycatcher, singing Cassin's Vireo and Warbling Vireo, 2 singing Wilson's Warblers and about 15 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Also 2 adult and 1 immature Cooper's Hawks were seen overhead. One adult was display flapping at the immature.
Jim Tietz
Dawn at Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley Hills
Sun, 15 Apr 2001 16:26:31 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
On Alan Kaplan's East Bay Regional Parks dawn birdwalk at Tilden Regional Park Nature Area this morning, we were treated to a fine dawn chorus featuring American Robin, Spotted Towhee, and Dark-eyed Junco. As the light became stronger, the robins got quiet and the Black-headed Grosbeaks began to sing. We also heard Pacific-slope Flycatchers and Song Sparrows chiming in, and the Common Ravens were providing the rhythm section.
Most interesting sighting of the morning (for me, at least) was four Black-crowned Night-Herons flying high from west to east across the valley, presumably heading for San Pablo or Briones Reservoir.
Here's what I jotted down of the morning's observations by the group (the walk ended before it was warm enough to bring out the vultures and hawks):
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 flyover
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 4 flyover
Mallard - 1 male on Jewel Lake (female presumably on a nest somewhere nearby)
California Quail - 1 heard calling
Mourning Dove - at least 1 heard calling
Anna's Hummingbird - 1 probable (poor light)
Allen's Hummingbird - 2 seen (could have been Rufous)
Pacific-slope Flycatcher - 1 seen (others singing/calling)
Black Phoebe - 1 heard calling
Hutton's Vireo - 1 seen
Warbling Vireo - at least 1 heard singing
Steller's Jay - several seen and heard, one seen doing fine Red-tailed Hawk call
Common Raven - 3 seen, probably more calling
Violet-green Swallow - 2 seen (species uncertain)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee - many heard, 1 seen
Oak Titmouse - at least 1 heard
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1 heard
Brown Creeper - 1 seen
Bewick's Wren - heard calling and singing
House Wren - 1 seen
Swainson's Thrush - possibly 1 heard calling
American Robin - many seen and heard
Wrentit - at least 3 heard
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1 seen, more heard singing
Townsend's Warbler - 2 seen
Wilson's Warbler - 4 seen, many heard singing
Spotted Towhee - 1 seen, others heard
California Towhee - 1 heard calling
Song Sparrow - at least 4 heard singing
Dark-eyed Junco - 6 seen, more heard
Black-headed Grosbeak - 1 seen, more heard singing
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA