Re: Avian botulism in Fremont
Sun, 4 Oct 1998 12:09:34 PDT
From: San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
Thanks for drawing attention to the avian botulism outbreak.
FYI, the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory discovered the botulism outbreak on our routine surveys for our Avian Disease Prevention Program. Our biologists and volunteers go out weekly on boat surveys of the south bay's slough channels. We called in the USFWS from the DESFBNWR [Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge]. When the magnitude became apparent, they jumped in and we've been cooperating with them on daily boat trips to the affected area. Also SFBBO has been searching the entire south bay pond system to make sure the disease doesn't get a foothold elsewhere.
The main problem area is not in Coyote Hills, but rather the Coyote Creek Lagoon, a 10 year old project that receives tidal flow from Coyote Creek. Public access (foot or bike) is from a gate near the corner of Warren and Fremont Ave. in Fremont. It is part of the DESFBNWR and this is the name they have chosen for this area (I have heard it referred to as Warm Springs Lagoon).
If anyone has further questions or wants to help out, please call me at 408/946-6548 or email sfbbo@aol.com. And please, let us know if you see affected birds anywhere in the south bay area.
I'm not a volunteer and they spelled my name wrong but hey, glad to have the publicity!
Best,
Janet Hanson, Executive Director
SFBBO
Tilden/Wildcat Peak, 6 Oct 98
Wed, 7 Oct 1998 12:01:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peter Rauch
Just north of Wildcat Peak, on the ridge, within a 15-minute period (around noon), on Tues 6 Oct 98, I saw red-tailed, sharp-shinned (?probably; square tail) hawks, northern harrier, black-shouldered kite, and turkey vulture.... (the bsk is the one I see infrequently; the rth, nh and bsk were all perching at one moment or another).
Say's Phoebes fencing it here and there at the locality as well.
Peter
[Editor's Note: Wildcat Peak is in Tilden Regional Park in the Berkeley Hills (actually on San Pablo Ridge if you want to be technical about it).]
Red-naped Sapsucker in Briones Park
Thu, 8 Oct 1998 11:24:37 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
On Alan Kaplan's [East Bay Regional Park District] birdwalk at the Bear Creek entrance to Briones Regional Park this morning (Thurs Oct 8), we had good views of a male Red-naped Sapsucker near the intersection of Homestead Valley Trail and Bear Creek Trail. A new fenced campground has been constructed near this trail intersection, and the sapsucker was in a tree that appeared to be an apple tree near the new outhouses (not far south of the snag used as a granary by the Acorn Woodpeckers). Look for the tree with lots of sapsucker holes. Although the plumage on the back was somewhat mottled, all the experienced birders present were satisfied that it was not a Yellow-bellied or a Williamson's, and it certainly was not a Red-breasted.
Other birds seen on the walk: Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk (both light and dark morphs), California Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker (red-shafted), Black Phoebe, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, Wrentit, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, California Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco.
Just a reminder that next Thursday morning (Oct 15, 7 to 9 AM at Tilden Nature Area) will be Alan's 250th birdwalk with a small party at the Nature Center afterward.
Good birding,
Larry Tunstall
http://www.best.com/~folkbird/
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