Long-billed Curlew in Livermore
Sun, 21 Jul 2002 09:17:17 -0700
From: Steve Huckabone
In Livermore this morning on a short walk south of the Livermore Airport, I saw a single Long-billed Curlew fly over heading east. The bird was calling all the way until out of sight. Good birding.
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore, Ca 94550
Fwd: Ruddy Duck family in Walnut Creek
Sun, 21 Jul 2002 16:41:28 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding the following message to the list for Hugh Harvey:
Friday July 19 in Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek, my wife Rosita spotted a new family of Ruddy Ducks on the pond. Both parents were aggressively defending their 7 ducklings which appeared to be 5 to 7 days old. This is the 2nd consecutive year they have raised a family here, and it has been noted for the Contra Costa Breeding Bird Atlas.
Hugh B. Harvey
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Cooper's Hawk juvenile in El Cerrito
Fri, 26 Jul 2002 01:20:19 -0700
From: Wen Hsu
On July 25, walking down the Rifle Range Rd entrance trail in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, I saw a juvenile Cooper's Hawk. It was calling on a dead tree in the clearing left of the trail, right after the first stretch of orange-colored plastic fence draping.
When I walked down the trail about 2:30 PM, its continuous screechy calls drew my attention to it. There were three hummingbirds darting around the same tree. The young hawk has indistinct grayish eye-brow, and several large white spots on its back. It stayed there in good view for at least five minutes before flying off (still calling).
On my way back, walking up the same trail, I saw it again at exactly the same spot around 5:45 PM. It was joined not only by hummingbirds, but two finches who landed tauntingly on the same dead tree, perhaps two feet from it. All this time, the juvenile hawk kept calling. A couple of minutes later, it decided to take up on the challenge, and took wing. One finch dropped out of sight, and the other was chased after closely. But it finally lost the hawk.
Wen Hsu
Berkeley
Fwd: Biking and birding
Fri, 26 Jul 2002 17:31:34 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
I'm forwarding the following message for Derek Heins, who is having trouble posting to the list.
From: Derek Heins
Subject: Biking and birding
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 13:03:31 -0700Took a late afternoon ride yesterday from Pleasanton to Sunol Regional Park on Calaveras Rd sans binoculars but did see in a one-mile stretch near the nurseries two American White Pelicans soaring above, a Golden Eagle being chased by a Red-tailed Hawk, Acorn Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Northern Mockingbird and Yellow-billed Magpie.
Derek Heins
Piedmont
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Sat, 27 Jul 2002 22:29:38 -0700
From: Sheila Junge
This evening at Hayward Regional Shoreline (W Winton Ave access), north of Hayward's Landing, I saw my first Ruddy Turnstones of the season. Red Knots, many still in breeding plumage, were also present. A little further north at Frank's Dump West (between the radio towers and Sulphur Creek) were numerous Phalaropes, the most I've seen here. Most were Red-necked Phalaropes but there were a few Wilson's Phalaropes at the southern end. At the north end of Frank's Dump West were three Least Terns and more than 20 Snowy Plovers.
Good birding!
Sheila Junge
Hayward, CA
Mystery backyard bird
Sun, 28 Jul 2002 20:14:15 -0700
From: Lisa Viani
Hi everyone,
I have a mystery bird in my backyard (appeared today), hanging out with the house finches, eating seeds on the ground. It looked like this:
exactly like a hooded oriole except beak is that of a seed eater (chunkier, stockier bill), belly is totally black, and its color is a bright bright flame orange color. The "hood" also covers the entire head, with the exception of the elongated black eye mask. The bird is also stockier than an oriole, with shorter tail and chunkier body, kind of like a starling in costume.
Can anyone think what this could possible be????? An escaped cage bird?? I have never seen anything like it.
Lisa Viani
Richmond
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject Index
Re: Mystery backyard bird
Sun, 28 Jul 2002 20:47:00 -0700
From: Randy Little
Hi Lisa,
I don't know what books you have to reference. Try looking in the Sibley guide, page 537, and look at the Orange Bishop. These turn up periodically as escaped cage birds. Sounds like some type of "weaver." That may give you a starting point to research.
Randy Little
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Mystery backyard bird
Mon, 29 Jul 2002 08:23:10 -0700
From: Lisa Viani
Hi everyone.
Randy's guess was right on the nose. I seem to have an Orange Bishop.
Thanks!
Lisa
Original Message Subject Index
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Mon, 29 Jul 2002 18:07:22 PDT
From: Bob Richmond
The following was at Frank's Dump West (marsh/mudflats between radio towers and Sulphur Creek) at about 4:30 PM.
Least Tern - 89 at last count. The first count was around 55.
Red Knot - hundreds
Snowy Plover - an estimated 40 to 50
Semipalmated Plover - at least 100
Phalaropes - Red-necked Phalarope was the most common phalarope on the west side, but Wilson's Phalarope was the most common phalarope on the east side.
Bob