Robins
Thu, 13 Sep 2001 10:15:39 PDT
From: George McRae
Dear Fellow Birders,
I have noticed recently that the American Robins are missing. I live in El Cerrito where in the spring and early summer we had a virtual invasion including our annual robin couple which parents two families in the ornamental cherries in the front of the house. But I have become aware in recent weeks that they are gone lock stock and barrel. I haven't seen a single individual in weeks. Is there a summer migration? has there been a problem with them? Very curious.
Thanx
George McRae
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Re: Robins
Thu, 13 Sep 2001 20:19:24 -0700
From: Russ Wilson
George,
I too, live in El Cerrito, and although we don't have a plethora of robins we do have a pair that returned to our yard and nested in the English laurels. They raised at least 2 young, and although I haven't seen them lately, the parents are still around and show up daily in our bird bath.
Russ Wilson
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Selby Trail solace
Fri, 14 Sep 2001 15:27:12 PDT
From: Collin Murphy
Dear EBBers,
To counteract days of numbing emotion, I walked with my puppy on the Selby trail near Tilden Park Golf Course in the Berkeley Hills this afternoon. Pausing under a small grove of pines that had some green grass remaining underneath, I was aware of a lot of bird activity around me. There were 5 or more Red-breasted Nuthatches working on a group of fallen branches with pine cones attached. A group of Chestnut-backed Chickadees and another of Dark-eyed Juncos were in the branches. Then a pair of Western Bluebirds came into view, with the male eating a large grub. A beautifully-marked male Downy Woodpecker was working the trees, and a House Finch with very worn plumage was singing. Both species of Jays were busy in the area and I heard my first Northern Flicker for months close by, as well as a Red-tailed Hawk calling (or was it a Steller's Jay?). I am grateful to have enjoyed this moment to be with nature and to be able to reflect on a bit of beauty.
Collin Murphy
Editor's Note: Collin wrote of the "Sibley Trail," which presumably was the originally intended name. This would have been in honor of Robert Sibley, who helped found the East Bay Regional Park District. However, probably due to an error in the parks mapping department long ago, the trail is actually marked as the Selby Trail.
Closing of southern entrance to Hayward
Shoreline
Fri, 14 Sep 2001 20:54:59 PDT
From: Peter Dramer
Entrance to Hayward Shoreline from the Interpretive Center will be closed to the public from September 24 through March of next year. Access from the end of W Winton Ave and Grant Ave will still be available.
The marshes, from the Interpretive Center to the bay, belong to Hayward Area Recreation and Parks (HARD). North, from where the trail meets the bay, belongs to East Bay Regional Parks. HARD is beginning a reconstruction of their marshes to introduce an improved tidal flow. Among the benefits will be the elimination of stagnant water around the Interpretive Center itself.
New channels are being dug, levees are being raised and a bridge will be built, etc. Unfortunately, between the heavy construction, trails that are not all-weather and the hoards of over-wintering waterfowl there was no way to provide suitable access to the public.
Re: Robins
Fri, 14 Sep 2001 21:17:31 -0700
From: Tom Condit
I saw only one solitary robin today at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley and none on my block (where they're usually pretty conspicuous).
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