Warblers in Berkeley
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 13:05:56 PST
From: Mark Westlund
This morning saw several Townsend's Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Orange-crowned Warblers at Berkeley's Aquatic Park in mixed flock with Bushtits, foraging on eucalyptus and nearby trees 100 feet north of pier. Added bonus: a pair of Green Herons.
This afternoon above Jewel Lake in Tilden, Townsend's Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers in mixed flock with Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets, foraging on large coast live oak. Also at Tilden: Swainson's Thrush, Winter Wren, Fox Sparrow.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 13:49:23 PST
From: Denise Wight
Hi EBBirders,
This morning on Sherman Island Rd, just north of the Antioch Bridge, there were a few hundred Yellow-headed Blackbirds scattered within the huge Tricolored Blackbird and Red-winged Blackbird flocks that were foraging in the cut fields. Yellow-headed Blackbirds were also seen on the wire along Hwy 160 to where the highway turns east and parallels the Sacramento River.
Although this report is from Sacramento County, this area is just across the San Joaquin River from Contra Costa County. Last year, after seeing Yellow-headed Blackbirds here on November 12th, roughly the same number were seen on the East Contra Costa County Christmas Bird Count.
Denise Wight
Martinez, CA
Warblers and sparrows in Richmond
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 14:42:00 -0800
From: Lisa Viani
In my backyard this weekend in Richmond, at foot of hills (in addition to the regular goldfinches, doves, towhees, etc.):
Yellow-rumped Warblers
White-crowned Sparrows
and a single Lincoln's Sparrow
Lisa Viani
Re: Warblers in Berkeley
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 15:06:37 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Mark Westlund wrote:
This morning saw several Townsend's Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Orange-crowned Warblers at Berkeley's Aquatic Park in mixed flock with Bushtits, foraging on eucalyptus and nearby trees 100 feet north of pier.
Do you mean César Chávez Park? That's the one north of the Berkeley Fishing Pier. But there's a pier in the lagoon in Aquatic Park as well, and there are certainly some lovely trees of the sort warblers might like there.
Original Message Subject Index
Clapper Rail near Richmond Marina Bay
Sun, 28 Oct 2001 16:24:53 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Late this morning I got a quite good look at a Clapper Rail in Meeker Slough, just south of the Richmond Marina Bay gated community (housing development). It was seen from the bridge on the Bay Trail that marks the north end of the new Eastshore State Park (and the edge of the Richmond city park around the housing development). The rail was foraging in a small channel off the left bank (as seen from the bridge) of the main channel that the bridge crosses. I have birded this area quite often, and this is the first time that I have spotted a Clapper Rail, though others have reported them here.
This is a great birding spot, with a wide variety of birds to be seen at almost any time of day or stage of tide, most easily seen from a level paved path. Here's the list for a couple of hours of leisurely viewing near high tide and near noon (without a scope - which would have been useful for shorebirds and birds out on the bay).
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe and/or Clark's Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Northern Harrier
Clapper Rail
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
American Avocet
Willet
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Black Turnstone
Western Sandpiper and/or Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
dowitcher sp.
Western Gull
Forster's Tern
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
American Crow
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
House Sparrow
On 14 October, when I was concentrating more on spotting birds, I had the following additional species in this area (also near high tide):
Pelagic Cormorant (two near mouth of yacht harbor)
Great Blue Heron
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
accipiter sp.
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper (inside yacht harbor)
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Black Phoebe
Bushtit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Fox Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Good birding, Larry
El Cerrito CA