Wild Turkeys with chicks in Strawberry Canyon, Berkeley
Sat, 12 Jun 2004 17:18:35 -0700
From: George Griffeth
This may be one of those things that lots of other people besides me knew about, but I was startled this morning to see a flock of Wild Turkeys with maybe 10+ chicks get flushed up to trees on the trail that goes up Strawberry Canyon in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus - the trail that passes near the Botanical Garden. The spot was about level with the garden, but over where (as you ascend the trail) it first passes close to Panoramic Way (trail access at dirt parking area below the garden). The chicks were flight-capable but plump, maybe slightly smaller than California Quail.
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Wild Turkey with chicks at Mills College, Oakland
Sat, 12 Jun 2004 20:06:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Harris
George et al.,
Someone reported seeing 8 Wild Turkey chicks at Mills College last week, I think with one adult.
John H. Harris
Biology Department, Mills College
Oakland, CA
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Skip's Hooded Oriole nest
Sun, 13 Jun 2004 16:37:43 -0700
From: Dennis Braddy
EastBayBirders,
Skip and I decided to forgo our usual dog-and-bird-walk route this afternoon in favor of doing a survey of the palm trees in our neighborhood. For the past several weeks two Hooded Orioles, male and female, have been coming to a sugar-water feeder in our backyard. Sometimes, like earlier today, they drink simultaneously from opposite sides of the feeder. Neat! Suspecting that they might have a nest nearby, Skip and I carefully inspected each palm before moving on to the next. Skip began to worry that the neighbors might object to the two of us peering at their trees. (Skip alternately pants and whines when he's worried.) I assured him that people in our area are very understanding about birders these days and that it was purely accidental when our neighbor in her huge SUV just missed running over us. Before Skip could reply, a pair of Hooded Orioles flew into the palm we were currently monitoring. The female almost immediately disappeared somewhere near the top of the tree, while the male remained perched on the wind-tossed spike of a still-furled frond. We didn't actually see the nest, but we're both convinced there is one.
Now that I think about it, maybe Skip has a point about the neighbors. I wonder what they'll do when we show up with the spotting-scope?
Dennis Braddy and Skip
San Ramon
Wild Turkeys in Berkeley Hills
Tue, 15 Jun 2004 14:32:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Poole
I found a group of turkeys at Tilden Regional Park this morning. They were at the 3.5-mile marker on the Nimitz Way trail on the west slope. There appeared to be 5 adults and about 8 juveniles.
In more than 20 years birding Tilden, this is the first time I have ever seen turkeys.
Good Birding!
John Poole
Editor's Note: I may be wrong, but I think that the spot you describe would actually be in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. The boundary between the two parks is just past the trail to Wildcat Peak as you walk north on Nimitz Way from Inspiration Point. --Larry
Parrots? In Berkeley?
Tue, 15 Jun 2004 17:07:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peter Diegutis
Good Afternoon
I'm starting to feel a little worried about my eyesight as the two newest birds I've spotted over the last week are both parrots! Last week there was the Emeryville Budgerigar. This morning I spotted a green parrot with significant peachy-red over its head and neck in Berkeley. The bird flew low overhead as I walked off breakfast around 8th St & Cedar St.
I confess I haven't put too much effort into parrot identification since moving to the East Bay.
Have a nice day.
Cheers
Peter
Shasta finds 18 turkey chicks
Thu, 17 Jun 2004 10:47:24 -0700
From: Judi Sierra
In an attempt to catch up with Skip's life list, Shasta spied 18 Wild Turkey chicks with 3 adults this morning in Strawberry Canyon, in the same vicinity as George Griffeth's June 12 sighting. To her disappointment she was informed that quantity does not make up for variety. She was quite excited that, unlike the adults, these were perfect size for a small Retriever. Fortunately for the chicks she was on a leash. Also seen were a Allen's Hummingbird and a perched Red-shouldered Hawk. Shasta yawned, these are already on her list.
Judi Sierra - Oakland
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Valle Vista Staging Area, near Moraga
Thu, 17 Jun 2004 11:12:18 -0700
From: Judi Sierra
At Valle Vista Staging Area of Upper San Leandro Reservoir, near Moraga, a Great Horned Owl was seen perched low, close and unobscured in a tree next to the bridge (on the road that goes to the corral) until it was driven off by several small birds. Also in that area was a nesting box that the bees have converted into a home. We also got good looks at a pair of Warbling Vireos who were in the open close to the ground. There were some Wood Ducks with babies in the reservoir. A Red-tailed Hawk flew from its perch on a telephone pole to the ground and came up with either a very curvy dead snake or long nesting material which it commenced to soar around with in circles. We weren't able to see a female it might have been trying to impress.
An EBMUD trail permit is needed for this area
Judi Sierra - Oakland
Fledging Cooper's Hawks in Berkeley
Sat, 19 Jun 2004 19:49:42 -0700
From: Rita & Leonard
Young Cooper's Hawks are in process of exploring their nest tree in the Elmwood district of Berkeley. [Exact location omitted here to protect the hawks.]
Rita & Leonard