Re: White-throated Swifts under overpasses
Sun, 29 Dec 2002 07:23:34 -0800
From: Steve Huckabone
On December 24, 2002, at the North Livermore overpass I saw 5 White-throated Swifts pour out of one of the holes as I was slowing for a traffic light. I'm sure they are roosting under the bridges in the winter months. One of the best places in the Tri-valley for White-throated Swifts is the bridge at Del Valle Lake. Last year in late winter I was birding the area upstream from the bridge and when I returned to my car around dusk I believe there was 500+ swifts in the sky above the bridge.
Good birding,
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore California
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Pleasanton area
Mon, 30 Dec 2002 10:03:32
-0800
From: Rich Cimino
I did check on White-throated Swifts this Monday morning on the way to work. No swifts today. But into early December 2002, I have been seeing White-throated Swifts at all of the stated underpasses. I'll begin to make a point to watch and report this species as I spot them.
Sunday noontime walk along Del Valle Creek in downtown Pleasanton viewing from the Main St Bridge looking east, there were three Hooded Mergansers.
Happy New Years
Rich Cimino
Original Message Subject Index
Del Valle Regional Park
Mon, 30 Dec 2002 12:29:02
-0800
From: Dennis Rash�
Hello to all,
This morning, quiet and gray, along Mines Rd and inside Del Valle Regional Park, while birding the West Shore Trail, I saw the following birds:
Pied-billed grebe
Eared Grebe
Doubled-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vultures
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
White-throated Swift (coming out of the holes underneath the bridge)
Acorn Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Black Phoebe
Western Scrub-Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Oak Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
California Thrasher
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Because of the rains, the lake was very high, and notably missing were waders and shore birds. Also, no Bald Eagles were seen, nor were there any Wild Turkeys.
Overall a pretty slow day, but calm, peaceful, and quiet.
Take care,
Dennis Rash�
Livermore
P.S. I have had a White-throated Sparrow at my backyard feeder for the last seven days.
Downtown Martinez and marsh
Mon, 30 Dec 2002
14:38:06 -0800
From: Beth Lucas
Greetings felow birders,
Yesterday morning, newly beautiful and sunny, a casual stroll from lower Pine St to the marsh in Martinez Regional Shoreline yielded the following:
Doubled-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vultures
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
scaup sp.
American Kestrel
American Coot
Black Phoebe
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
White-crowned Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Cedar Waxwing (small flock of 6 on Susana St near the park)
American Avocet (2 separate flocks, 12 in one, 38 in the other)
Black-necked Stilt (4 in with flock of 12 Avocet)
Wilson's Snipe (flock of 8 !!)
Canvasback (5 females bottom-feeding)
Belted Kingfisher
Green Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Ring-billed Gull
Western Gull
hummingbird sp.
Beth
Hooded Mergansers in Hayward
Tue, 31 Dec 2002
13:51:19 -0800
From: Debbie Wong
Holiday Greetings to everyone:
There are a pair of Hooded Mergansers on the channel along Industrial Pkwy, in South Hayward today. North of the intersection between Industrial Pkwy and Ruus Rd, near the EEE Machinery Moving building, 3 or 4 blocks north of the new Target store; just beyond the eucalyptus trees in the median.
One of the Hooded Mergansers is in adult male breeding plumage. The other has gray tan head, not much rufous.
I usually see Snowy Egrets, Mallards, and occasionally a Belted Kingfisher there while driving. I haven't birded / walked the channel yet which has a trail on the south side. The mergansers may have been there all along and are made more "visible" by the high water level.
I was on my way home and saw a strange looking raptor preening itself on a lightpost about 2 blocks from Target on Industrial Pkwy. It is the size of a Red-tailed Hawk but much darker, no hint of barring or streaking, just one dark color, lighter on the breast, and with dark head. I made a U-turn and pulled over and looked at the bird (there is no stopping on Industrial Pkwy). I thought I saw light / white undertail covert looking up at the bird and decided to go home and get my bins. Of course, by the time I was back the bird was gone.
The Hooded Mergansers are the consolation prize. They were still there when I left at 12:20 PM.
Happy birding to you all.
Debbie
American White Pelican at Lafayette Reservoir
Tue, 31 Dec 2002 18:03:28 -0800
From: Maury Stern
There was a lone American White Pelican at Lafayette Reservoir today hanging out near the tower with many of the usual Double-crested Cormorants.
Happy New Year.
Maury Stern