Castle Rock Regional Park, Walnut Creek
Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:19:27 PDT
From: Marilyn Trabert
Occasionally I hike with a non-birding friend at Castle Rock Regional Park, and she indulges me by taking binoculars. Yesterday (July 13) as we walked we saw quite a few birds, mostly the "regulars," such as Ash-throated Flycatcher, Dark-eyed Junco youngsters, hummingbirds, American Robins, both towhees, jays, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Western Bluebird teenagers, Oak Titmouse, Black Phoebe, Acorn Woodpecker, et al. However, there were a couple of surprises too. As we walked into the park, the open field on the left was alive with beautiful Lark Sparrows - something like 30 or 40 of them. Further up the trail, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher emerged from a flock of Bushtits, which was a bit of a treat. On the way back, we were watching the Lark Sparrows again, this time busily feeding on insects in the large lawn near the picnic area, when a Western Kingbird flew out of the trees behind us into view.
To get to Castle Rock Regional Park, take Ygnacio Valley Road to Walnut Avenue (not Walnut Blvd). Turn right onto Walnut Ave. When it ends turn right onto Castle Rock Rd and follow it to the parking area outside the entrance to Castle Rock, where you should try to find yourself a big tree to park under if you can.
Marilyn Trabert
Walnut Creek
Hooded Oriole in Berkeley
Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:37:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ted Ekman
A stunning male Hooded Oriole was foraging in the vicinity of Stuart St & Benvenue Ave in Berkeley at 7:45 this morning. He spent quite some time poking around in a lime tree on the west side of Benvenue just north of Stuart.
Ted
Probable Hooded Oriole in north Oakland
Wed, 14 Jul 2004 22:14:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Alan Howe
The orioles must be on the march!
I caught a glimpse of a male oriole in a north Oakland tree (near 59th St & Dover St) this evening. It cooperated and stayed put long enough for me to grab my binoculars, but then flew quickly so that I didn't get an absolute identification. I think it was a Hooded Oriole, though a Bullock's Oriole is possible. There's a small, not-so-productive lemon tree nearby, but I'm not sure if the bird had been to it.
I did spot a Hooded Oriole male close to a year ago in the same area - making a racket at a Cooper's Hawk in the same tree in which it was sitting.
Cheers,
Alan
Original Message Subject Index
Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland, July 11
Thu, 15 Jul 2004 21:02:20 -0700
From: Judi Sierra
Sorry for the late post. Inspired by recent EBB messeges of early arrivals still in summer plumage, we went to Arrowhead Marsh (Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline, Oakland) and were able to see Marbled Godwits, Long-billed Curlews, Whimbrels, Western Sandpipers and the regulars in beautiful plumage. Also seen were Least Terns,, Forster's Terns, and Caspian Terns. No Clapper Rails.
Judi Sierra - Oakland
Black Skimmer at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Fri, 16 Jul 2004 17:38:06 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Mark Chao:
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 17:23:21 PDT
Subject: Black Skimmer at SF Bay Nat'l Wildlife RefugeDear Larry,
On Friday, July 16 at about 1 PM, I saw an adult Black Skimmer flying low over the near-shore impoundments along the Tidelands and Newark Slough Trails in Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Newark/Fremont). I plainly saw the black crown and upperparts, very long wings, and the distinctive orange-and-black bill, with a longer lower mandible. I had a less-satisfying but still conclusive sighting of this species a little later farther out on the Bay; I suppose that it might well have been the same individual.
I also saw a few dozen Western Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers foraging along the shore. Several thousand small peeps were on the small bars in the shallows, but they were too far away for me to pinpoint species. As I mentioned a few days ago, many Black-necked Stilts are present in LaRiviere Marsh. But I saw no other shorebird species today.
With best wishes to you and the whole EBbird community,
Mark Chao
Ithaca, NY
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall