Sharp-shinned Hawk and prey in Berkeley
Mon,
20 Jan 2003 10:18:13 -0800
From: Rusty Scalf
Just a few minutes ago I heard a loud thump at a back window that I imagined was a bird-glass collision. I looked out and saw a young Sharp-shinned Hawk perched atop the red-osier dogwood (a fairly dense bush) by my back porch, and a House Sparrow on the ground below, obviously stunned but moving, trying to right herself. The hawk gingerly made its way down into the bush, step by step, balancing on thin twigs, till it got to the stunned sparrow and grabbed it with a talon. Then the hawk made its way out, and flew up to a tree with the sparrow.
Rusty Scalf
Berkeley
Sharp-shinned Hawk and prey in Oakland
Mon,
20 Jan 2003 11:44:06 -0800
From: David Silva
Saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk attempting to eat a common pigeon [Rock Dove] (?) at the intersection of Broadway and 41st St [presumably in Oakland] this morning. He was first trying to fly away with the pigeon, but it was at least equal in weight to itself. He then started to eat it in the intersection. Traffic was pretty heavy, I was concerned for the hawk's life. By the time I left, the hawk had flown up to an electrical wire, and left the pigeon behind.
David
The Cedar Waxwings have landed
Mon, 20 Jan
2003 12:28:35 -0800
From: Beth Newman
About 24 Cedar Waxwings just landed on the tree outside my window [in north Berkeley] and are feasting on its red berries. Great view of the yellow tail tips. The color supposedly originates from the absorption of carotenoids in yellow honeysuckle, one of their favorite plants! See:
http://www.redding.com/columnist/bdeuel/stories/20021123colbd031.shtml
Good birding,
Beth Newman
Accipiter and prey in Richmond
Mon, 20 Jan
2003 15:41:33 -0800
From: Lory Poulson
Apropos of today's sharpie [Sharp-shinned Hawk] stories: Last year a small accipiter took a pigeon on the sidewalk out front - and carried it off.
We don't know if the pigeon was knocked from the wires above (don't generally see pigeons there) or taken in flight. There aren't many pigeons or cars passing on this street, so it's unlikely it was stunned by a car first ... but possible.
When we saw them, the pigeon was already on the concrete with the petite hawk standing atop it, looking around frantically and continually adjusting its footwork to subdue the resisting pigeon.
The hawk was starting to tear up the bird - not sure if it was just eating or still trying to kill it ... obviously, it was an efficient strategy for either purpose.
The size differential was shocking - the pigeon certainly appeared to outweigh the hawk ... which seemed small and spindly. At the time I thought it was an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Shortly after, the hawk made several unsuccessful attempts to take off with the pigeon in its talons - and finally did lift it to the lip of the nearest roof (clumsily dragging the pigeon up and over the edge). Then the hawk took off again, with pigeon, and moved to a dense tree.
Lory Poulson
Richmond
Central Contra Costa County
Mon, 20 Jan 2003
22:43:37 -0800
From: Dennis Braddy
EastBayBirders,
Birding a little closer to home than usual today, we stayed in central Contra Costa County. Pat and I started off at Waterbird Regional Preserve in Martinez. This recently opened park provides access to McNabney Marsh where we had Ross' Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Canada Goose, many duck species, Western Grebe and Pied-billed Grebe, Forster's Tern, Greater Yellowlegs, Say's Phoebe and Black Phoebe, Cliff Swallow (1) and Tree Swallow (many), etc. - 40+ species in all. (The full list is below). On Friday I also saw a Blue-winged Teal, Brown Pelicans, and American Pipits at the park. If you haven't visited Waterbird Preserve before, now is the time to go.
We next stopped at the Martinez Marina [Martinez Regional Shoreline], where we had Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, Marbled Godwit, Black-bellied Plover, American Avocet, Common Yellowthroat, Lincoln's Sparrow, and more.
At Heather Farms Park in Walnut Creek we added Western Bluebird, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and Common Merganser to the day's list.
At Mitchell Canyon (Mt Diablo State Park, near Clayton), new birds on the day included Lark Sparrow, Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Back in San Ramon, Skip and I decided to do the usual dog-and-bird-walk route counter-clockwise for a change. Due to our late start we knew we couldn't match yesterday's total of 30 species so we strived for quality. For the 2nd day in a row the American Kestrel that lives above Bollinger Canyon Elementary School dive-bombed his neighbor the Red-tailed Hawk. In the same area the male taiga Merlin put in yet another appearance. This makes 4 or 5 times recently and twice in two days. On Norris Canyon Rd near Bollinger Canyon Rd, we found the neighborhood Ferruginous Hawk that roosted in a redwood tree visible from our house last night. (In spite of the rural-sounding street names, this is a decidedly suburban area.) Moments later Skip got a new life-bird when a male Northern Harrier flew over us. Skip seemed more interested in sniffing my boots than observing his new bird. (Earlier in the day while traversing a Canada Goose grazing area, Pat told me I stepped on big green one!) Skip is a dedicated birder, but he does lose his concentration from time to time.
Total species for the day: 86.
Dennis and Patricia Braddy and Skip
San Ramon
Directions to Waterbird Park:
Take the Marina Vista exit from Hwy 680 North (the last exit before the Benicia Bridge). Turn right onto Waterfront Rd, right onto Waterbird Way, and then right into the Waterbird Preserve parking lot.
Birds seen at Waterbird Park (today and Friday):
Eared Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Western Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Canada Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Ross' Goose
Mallard
Northern Pintail
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Cinnamon Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Forster's Tern
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
European Starling
American Pipit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird