Sunol Regional Wilderness on March 16
Tue, 19 Mar 2002 10:50:05 -0800
From: Nick Newton
Greetings birders - Went for a very nice hike in Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol on Saturday afternoon. Starting with a flock of 20 or so Yellow-billed Magpies overhead, we soon had a good raptor moment, with a Golden Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and American Kestrel all flying through the same airspace within a minute of each other. The swallows were out in force, with Barn, Cliff and Violet-green Swallows all making their way low over the green hillsides, along with White-throated Swifts. A single Horned Lark was up on the tops, along with singing Western Meadowlarks. The day was finished off with 6 Acorn Woodpeckers hanging out on a dead tree, and a Red-shouldered Hawk by the side of the road on the way out of the park.
On the subject of Red-shouldered Hawks, over the past 3 weeks, an adult was calling from a tree opposite my house (in the Redwood Heights district of Oakland). Gave very nice views through the scope. However, I didn't hear the calling this weekend - I hope this means that he(?) found a mate.
Good birding - Nick Newton
Sandhill Cranes flying upside down
Tue, 19 Mar 2002 17:37:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Stewart Bollinger
Brethren;
Here's a sighting for you: My daily Audubon Society Calendar for March 18 has a lovely sunset photo of three Sandhill Cranes flying upside down, or is the picture upside down. My colleague wondered how I could tell.
SB Oakland
Sapsucker damage to yard trees
Wed, 20 Mar 2002 18:04:38 PST
From: Sylvia Sykora
What began as delight in December, when a sapsucker settled in our garden, has now become a significant problem as its persistent feeding holes have girdled several trees and, in one case, killed the branches above the holes. Since the bird feeds only about four feet above the ground, this is not a pretty prospect Anyone have any ideas on how to discourage a sapsucker without harming it or other birds in the garden?
Sylvia Sykora
Skyline Blvd near Castle Dr
Oakland, CA
Purple Finch singing at UC Botanical Garden
Wed, 20 Mar 2002 20:36:16 -0800
From: Tom Condit
A male Purple Finch brought in the spring today at UC Botanical Garden above the University of California campus in the Berkeley Hills, tenaciously clinging to the top of a swaying pine tree and singing vigorously. I haven't had time to look over old notes, but I don't remember seeing one previously in Berkeley.
Only other bird of note was an Anna's Hummingbird hawking in the South American Mattoral area. This is the first hummingbird I've seen in the Garden since the big frost.
Tom Condit
Partial albino Red-tailed Hawk at UC Botanical
Garden
Wed, 20 Mar 2002 21:48:55 -0800
From: Dustin Alcala
The message just posted by Tom Condit reminds me that I forgot to post a message about a partial albino, adult Red-tailed Hawk that I saw at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden on Sunday, March 9, 2002, from about 2:00 to 3:30 PM. The head, tail, and all of its underparts and primary feathers of the bird were typically patterned and colored. Large swatches and patches of its back were white, as were the leading edge of its shoulder and wing feathers up to the base of its primaries. Thus as the bird soared in my direction the wings looked quite white, yet when it banked this feature disappeared, but the abundant white on its back and wings was prominent. When it was directly overhead there was no hint of white at all. The bird was seen from the parking lot, entrance area, and the pond in the Japanese section. It spent a lot of time on the slope above the entrance. It also flew across the road, over the parking lot and landed on a utility tower. It then flew back to the slope above the entrance.
If it is still in the area the best place to look for it would be from the parking lot, or more ideally from the hilltop that looks down on the entrance and parking area. I have no idea how to access that ridge, but I saw hikers on it.
Dustin Alcala
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Re: Purple Finch and partial albino Red-tailed
Hawk
Wed, 20 Mar 2002 23:55:0 -0800
From: Terry Coddington
Dear EBBers,
I have seen the leucistic Red-tailed Hawk over Strawberry Canyon, too. Last spring, if my memory serves. As to Purple Finches, I have seen them occasionally in Tilden Regional Park, and just this winter (for the first time) added them to my feeder list. I live just off the canyon, on Campus Dr.
Terry Coddington
Editor's Note: Nearly all of Tilden Regional Park is outside the Berkeley city limits and in Contra Costa County, but Campus Dr is in Berkeley.
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