Forwarded Arrowhead Marsh report
Tue, 17 Nov 1998 07:33:50 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I'm making an exception to my usual rule against cross-posting to forward to this list an excellent note about Arrowhead Marsh that appeared on the CalBird list. Not only does it seem appropriate to have this information in our list archives, but it serves to introduce to you a new list member, because Arlene has just joined EBbird this morning and given me permission to forward her note.
In general, I would hope that people would post detailed East Bay observations to this list, with briefer notes about the most significant items to CalBird when appropriate.
While speaking of other lists, you might be interested to know that there have been a few reports on the Central Valley birding list of Steller's Jays appearing for the first known time in lower-level locations in the valley.
Best wishes, Larry Tunstall
EBbird "list mom"
**************FORWARDED FROM CALBIRD************************
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 19:37:54 -0800
From: Arlene Gemmill
To: BIRDCHAT
Subject: Arrowhead Marsh in Alameda County, CALed by the redoubtable Alan Hopkins for the Golden Gate Audubon Society, a large turnout of people birded the new Arrowhead Marsh in Alameda County on Saturday, 14 November.
Arrowhead Marsh is only five months old and such a productive spot close by the Oakland Airport (on erastern shore of San Francisco Bay) I thought BirdChatters would like to know about it.
We hadn't even had time Saturday to set up our scopes to scan the vast flocks of shorebirds teeming in the new marsh. Suddenly the sandpipers all took to the air in clouds that wheeled and flashed. A raptor!
Yup, at the top of a tall tree on a nearby hill was a MERLIN. I've always thought of this as the Darth Vader bird as I'd only seen very dark individuals. This one was the Richardsonnii race, resembling a Cooper's Hawk. The shorebirds were't fooled however. We saw the Merlin again later harassing a NORTHERN HARRIER on the ground. The Harrier was tearing into a shorebird meal and after a few aerial swipes at it, the Merlin perched on a fence close by as though to keep an eye on its rival.
In all we had about sixty species in four hours. Several of these species were in great abundance - BLACK BELLIED PLOVER; GREATER YELLOWLEG; WESTERN SANDPIPER; LEAST SANDPIPER; WILLET; DOWITCHER; DUNLIN; LONG BILL CURLEW - as it was high tide. Highlights were CLAPPER RAIL; BLUE WINGED TEAL; SORA; EURASIAN WIGEON; RED KNOT; and all five species of GREBE. This variety was all the more remarkable as it is still early in the season for wintering waterfowl. Another month or two could bring more species.
Arrowhead Marsh could easily rival the Palo Alto Baylands for numbers and variety. While Palo Alto has Black Rail and Nelson's Sharp Tailed Sparrow, in theory if not in practice, (I was there two weeks ago at one of the year's highest tide and nobody had had either species in days), Arrowhead Marsh is working to restore the Burrowing Owl once found there and is near Least Tern breeding colony. As replanted native marsh grasses take hold Arrowhead will just keep getting better.
To get there: take Hegenberger Road west off the Nimitz Freeway (#880) and follow Pardee Drive north to the parking lot. The 70 acre Arrowhead Marsh is part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline. For further info, phone the East Bay Regional Park District at 510/635-0135.
Posted to EBbird by Larry Tunstall
[Note added on webpage: Oops, the message was on BirdChat rather than CalBird!]
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject List
Re: Arrowhead Marsh
Tue, 17 Nov 1998 09:16:46 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I meant to mention that the Oakland Museum has an interesting webpage with maps and photos of Arrowhead Marsh in earlier stages of its existence:
http://www.museumca.org/creeks/haymap.html#Chabot
This page is part of a very nice set of pages about the watersheds and creeks of the Bay Area.
Good birding,
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Re: Phainopepla
Tue, 17 Nov 1998 11:10:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Tom Condit
I agree with Steve Glover that Round Valley is a likely spot for Phainopepla. I've seen one at Morgan Creek, and saw a lot of their telltale sign (little piles of berry hulls) there on the same occasion. Round Valley should be super habitat for them on their periodic westward wanderings.
Rifle Range Road
Tue, 17 Nov 1998 22:22:15 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Around noon today I checked out the Rifle Range Road entrance to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. (At the top of Moeser Ln in El Cerrito, go north on Arlington. A block after you pass Arlington Park, turn right on Rifle Range Road. Go as far as you can and park.) The trail (fire road) down into the canyon is steep but well graded, but it obviously will be slippery mud after the first good rain. However, walking just a short distance down the semi-paved trail to the first switchback, I found a lot of birds, even though this area is very close to apartments up the hill.
There were lots of Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Anna's Hummingbirds doing all kinds of displays and interactions (juncos were happily bathing in the rain runoff by the side of the trail). Both Steller's Jays and Western Scrub-Jays were busy being nosy and bossy. I saw Purple Finches and what I'm almost sure was a Cassin's Finch. (I've never seen one, so can't be positive. It didn't seem to have the distinct red cap shown in the guidebooks, but had a lot of red around head and throat. The breast was clear and whitish, with brown streaking on the sides. Couldn't find anything else in the books that looked remotely like it.) Only saw Turkey Vultures overhead, but a jogger told me that several kinds of hawks are common. A Northern Flicker (red-shafted) was busy in the area, and I heard Wrentits not far away. Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Golden-crowned Sparrows, and a Hermit Thrush made appearances, as well as some other birds that I didn't manage to identify.
The flat area right at the switchback seemed to be a great one for busy bird activity (but watch your feet - the dogs seem to love it also). This is one of those great spots where you could drive and spend half an hour and have a lot to watch (as well as a good view over the canyon and eastward on a clear day like today).
Although Rifle Range Road is the only trail leading into Wildcat Canyon between Alvarado Park and Canon Drive, you can go up Terrace Drive from the end of Moeser and find some parking spots where you can walk out into the park and get some good views and a chance for birds. A woman who lives in an octagonal house at Terrace and Kensington Rd told me that a pair of Peregrine Falcons nest nearby. Is this possible?
At Lake Merritt this afternoon, one female Ring-necked Duck. Lots of Bufflehead, Canvasback, Ruddy Ducks, and Lesser Scaup. Both Barrow's and Common Goldeneye, but not in very large numbers. During the feeding, a big black cat suddenly leapt from the bushes and almost got the Cattle Egret! Fortunately, a Black-crowned Night-Heron intent on grabbing a fish dashed in between them just as the cat jumped. Hard to say who was more startled, but the night-heron squawked loudly for some time as it flew around the area (though apparently not injured).
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
http://www.best.com/~folkbird/