Re: New yardbird - sorta
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 09:32:08 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Jerrie Arko wrote:
Well, almost a yard bird.
Janey came by at 9:00 AM to pick me up and we were headed for Arrowhead Marsh down near the Oakland Airport [in Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline]. Got in the car and she pulled slowly away from the curb while looking intently at my neighbors yard. I almost said something about watching the road ... then I looked to see what she was locked in on. A California Quail!!!!!!!! Just outside my yard ... and I wasn't in my yard, so can it be a yard bird for me? Or just a neighborhood bird?
As far as I'm concerned, if I can see it from my house or yard, it's a yard bird. If you used any other standard, you couldn't count birds flying over, and if they were hopping on the fence you'd have to decide whether it was your half of the fence or not.
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Merlin in Oakland
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 10:03:08 PST
From: Mark Rauzon
I am looking at a Merlin, adult male Taiga race on my neighbor's antenna, where the starlings usually perch. It is preening away for the last half hour. Such a dense powerful looking small bird. Not a new yard bird though. Saw an immature on this perch on March 3, 2000, and one in the air on November 8. This is in the lower hills off Park Blvd, Oakland.
Mark Rauzon
White-throated Sparrow in Hayward
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 10:37:38 PST
From: Phil & Pat Gordon
Greetings Birders,
Yesterday (and today) a 1st-year (tan-looking) White-throated Sparrow arrived at our seed tray feeder in Hayward, Alameda County. Times observed were: 6:45 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:50 AM, 4:50 PM. It often is alone or lingers.
Also here, one of the two "sooty-type" Fox Sparrows of medium dark color is singing a brief song that seems like the middle segment of one of its longer spring songs - a sweet, high-pitched (not squeaky), but rapid series of notes with some variation in frequency. I've only heard White-throated Sparrows singing in California in the Spring; but we're listening!
Happy Birding,
Phil and Pat Gordon
Visitors may call ahead - our telephone number is on the Northern California
RBA
Re: New yardbird - sorta
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 10:43:53 -0800
From: Jerrie Arko
Tom Condit wrote:
If I can see it from my house or yard, it's a yard bird.
Now it is official! I saw the bird while I was standing in my yard. She was strolling across the street again from my side of the street to my neighbor's yard where she disappeared on Saturday. I am still quite excited over seeing a California Quail in my neighborhood!
There is a herd of Dark-eyed Juncos, White-crowned Sparrows, towhees, and Mourning Doves in the yard this morning. The storm must have pushed the juncos in. I also saw a yellow House Finch yesterday at the feeders. I see one or two a year. The Pine Siskins are also coming in.
Jerrie, El Cerrito, CA
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Rough-legged Hawk at Coyote Hills
Wed, 14 Nov 2001 06:22:46 PST
From: Bill Scoggins
Hello East Bay Birders,
A Rough-legged Hawk has returned to Coyote Hills for the second year. Ken Sutton, Fremont, notified me that the Hawk had returned on Monday morning, 12 November 2001. I saw it late that afternoon in the fields south and west of the kiosk at the entrance of the park. This is also the area it favored last year including the South Marsh. Kathleen Cameron and her father also observed the Rough-legged Hawk in the early afternoon in addition to 25 Canvasbacks in the Main Marsh.
Additional birds I observed:
4 Fox Sparrows at the visitors center
12 Golden-crowned Sparrows
3 White-crowned Sparrows
8 American White Pelicans at the DUST Marsh
6 Northern Shovelers
15 Mallards
20 gull sp.
California Quail by voice
1 Northern Mockingbird
3 Black Phoebe
Bewick's Wren by voice
Happy Birding,
Bill Scoggins, Castro Valley
Southern Alameda County, Calif., USA
Eugene and Akiko Makishima sent me the following report for southern Alameda County.
Subj: Bird Sightings
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 4:38:27 PM PST
From: Eugene Makishima
To: Bill ScogginsHi Bill,
We haven't had too much chance to go birding so far in November and we won't have much of an opportunity for this month.
The few Coyote Hills sightings:
Rough-legged hawk (Nov 13) before the entrance booth to Coyote Hills
Merlin (Nov 6)
Hutton's Vireo (Nov 1 and Nov 6) still present
White-throated Sparrow (Nov 1) still present
Black-headed Grosbeak (female) (Nov 6) lateAlameda Creek, Union City, Nov 8:
Hutton's Vireo: must be a year for them to wander
Western Tanager (heard) lateIntersection of Mission Blvd & Niles Canyon Rd, Nov 9:
Acorn Woodpecker on the pavement seemingly oblivious to the busy morning traffic passing by, including close to the wheels of our car. Seemed to be focused on an acorn on the pavement. An unexpected sight!
Good birding.
Eugene & Akiko
Valle Vista Staging Area, Moraga
Wed, 14 Nov 2001 14:55:07 -0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
I went to Valle Vista Staging Area this morning (on Canyon Rd between Moraga and Canyon). [EBMUD permit is required.] Saw the following species:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Wood Duck
Black-Crowned Night-Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker (red-shafted)
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Black Phoebe
Common Raven
Western Scrub-Jay
Steller's Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird
Gold-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
California Towhee
"Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco
The Wood Ducks were in the creek and I could see them from the bridge over the creek.
Happy Birding,
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA