Selasphorus hummingbird at Jewel Lake
Sat, 25 Jan 2003 15:06:21 -0800
From: John Poole
This morning at about ten o'clock I saw a Selasphorus hummingbird near Jewel Lake in Tilden Regional Park Nature Area (Berkeley Hills). Allen's Hummingbirds usually show up in mid-February so this would be a bit early. It could have been a really early Rufous Hummingbird, of course. If anyone else sees it and is able to make an identification, please report the sighting.
Good Birding!
John Poole
Richmond Bay Trail report
Sat, 25 Jan 2003
20:45:15 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
A New Year report on Richmond's progress in getting its segments of the Bay Trail completed is at
http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrails/midyear.htmDuring the past year Richmond reached the milestone of having half of its planned Bay Trail completed. This is great news for birders, many of whom already make use of portions of this trail from the Albany Mudflats to Richmond Marina Bay - but more trail is available and coming soon.
Thanks to Bruce Beyaert of TRAC (Trails for Richmond Action Committee) for alerting me to this report.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Greater White-fronted Geese in Livermore
Sun,
26 Jan 2003 11:55:04 -0800
From: Steve Huckabone
Today at the Wente golf course pond off of Arroyo Rd south of Livermore there were two Greater White-fronted Geese. Also in the pond were Ring-necked Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Bufflehead, Gadwall, Hooded Merganser, Canada Goose, Lesser Scaup, Canvasback , Mallard and Greater Yellowlegs. Good birding.
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore California
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Sun, 26 Jan 2003
18:02:29 PST
From: Bob Richmond
Today at Hayward Regional Shoreline -
Good Birding
Bob
Band-tailed Pigeons nesting in Oakland Hills
Sun, 26 Jan 2003 18:07:31 -0800 (PST)
From: Sue Morgan
On a walk in Joaquin Miller Park (Oakland Hills) along the Sunset Trail at 12:30 PM on Friday January 24 we noticed a pair (?) of Band-tailed Pigeons on a nest. One was sitting as we came by, and then a second arrived, climbed in, and the first flew off.
On a second visit on January 25 there was 1 Band-tailed Pigeon sitting on the nest.
Is this early or unusual for this bird to be nesting in late January?
Sue Morgan
Oakland
Anna's Hummingbird nesting in San Ramon
Sun,
26 Jan 2003 18:16:41 -0800
From: Dennis Braddy
EastBayBirders,
On our dog-and-bird-walk this afternoon, Skip and I had a nesting Anna's Hummingbird in a leafless tree near the intersection of Norris Canyon Rd & Bollinger Canyon Rd. We watched her sit on the nest for several minutes - she wasn't just trying it on for size.
Dennis Braddy and Skip
San Ramon
Re: Band-tailed Pigeons nesting
Sun, 26 Jan
2003 18:22:44 -0800
From: Rusty Scalf
Per Band-tailed Pigeons:
Have a look at this Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game website:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/B251.html
Under Reproduction note:
Reproduction: Breeds monogamously, from February to mid-October, with peak in May. Occasionally up to 3 broods. Usually lays 1 egg per clutch, sometimes 2. Incubation by female and male for 18-20 days (Harrison 1978). In New Mexico, evidence of colonial nesting reported (Neff 1947). Young fed crop milk by parents initially.
I have heard that Band-tailed Pigeons come into breeding condition in response to food supply. Apparently a heavy fall acorn crop will trigger breeding. Breeding bird atlas surveys tend to miss this since people generally stop surveying by midsummer.
Apparently this species declined dangerously in recent decades due to hunting pressures in Oregon and California. Hunting traditionally happens in the fall, when most game species are done breeding. Since Band-tailed Pigeons congregate in large numbers where food is plentiful (oak and madrone forests in fruit) you have a double whammy. 1) Large concentrations of birds where hunters can find them. 2) The killing of large numbers of adults who are tending young.
I wonder what food resource these nesting birds are using. Are there madrone nearby in fruit?
Rusty
Original Message Subject Index
Red-shouldered Hawks near UC Berkeley stadium
Sun, 26 Jan 2003 19:25:46 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Yesterday (Saturday, January 25) there were a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks flying and calling to each other over the game field between the University of California Berkeley football stadium and the Greek Theater. Noisy little guys.
Apropos of an earlier message: Greater White-fronted Geese are so small that I've always wondered what the Lesser White-fronted Geese must be (and where they live).
Tom Condit