Lapland Longspurs, Barrow's Goldeneyes
Fri, 12 Nov 1999 11:13:55 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Here is a longer segment of James Rising's comments about Lapland Longspur in his book on sparrows:
In migration and winter, the species characteristically forms large flocks, sometimes of apparently over a million individuals. Especially in the east, where they are not particularly common, Lapland Longspurs are often found with pipits, Horned Larks, and Snow Buntings, although the longspurs generally stay together in these mixed flocks. In the mid-west, it has been my experience that they usually are found in flocks of only Lapland Longspurs; in the high plains and southwest, they may be found with other longspurs, and in the west often with Horned Larks. When flushed, smaller flocks will fly around a field, and drop back into the short vegetation, often not far from where they took off. If one moves slowly, one can often approach the flock closely, and sometimes walk into it. The longspurs are, nonetheless, surprisingly difficult to see well when on the ground.
On the other hand, an experienced local birder told me that it is impossible to approach longspurs within binocular range, that a scope is a necessity when looking for these birds. This person also said that in scope views the legs are hidden behind clods of dirt, so it is irrelevant whether they run or hop.
Does anyone else have comments about how to look for these birds locally?
Tom Condit offered some good suggestions about places to look for the small flock of Barrow's Goldeneyes that winters at Lake Merritt. In my experience, in most years the Barrow's arrive first and cluster near the islands in the lake. Then Common Goldeneyes begin to arrive and soon become much more numerous than the Barrow's. As they become outnumbered, the Barrow's usually move over into the channel that runs east of the auditorium, through Laney College, and into the Oakland Estuary at Estuary Park. As Tom points out, they move back and forth from one end to the other of that channel. I've sometimes seen them in the lake near the channel when a strong tidal current is flowing into the lake (a lot of water birds are usually fishing in that current). However, I've most often found them in the channel between 12th St and 10th St, or just south of 10th St. In past years, a pair of Hooded Mergansers have sometimes been around this same area.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
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Longspurs / Hayward Shoreline
Fri, 12 Nov 1999 12:37:44 PST
From: Peter Dramer
The longspurs at Hayward Shoreline tend to flock with Horned Larks rather than pipits. Most often they are seen in the flat area just south of the radio towers in the West Winton Avenue vicinity.
As I work at Hayward Shoreline I am always aware of the presence of these birds. I have been seeing Horned Larks in small numbers regularly in the disked, southeast corner of the larger landfill (Mt T). Last week Bob Richmond saw Lapland Longspurs in a larger flock of larks in the flats. The smoother graded portion of Mt T had virtually no birds until last Sunday when hundreds of American Pipits appeared. They were then joined by a few Horned Larks.
Note: The Burrowing Owl that was at Sulphur Creek seems to have relocated to the top of Mt T. The new location is likely the very best choice of sites at the Shoreline, so I am hoping that birders who find it will not approach too closely.
Thanks. Peter
Original Message Subject Index
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Sun, 14 Nov 1999 21:24:22 -0800
From: Sheila Junge
Highlight of the day at Hayward Shoreline was a light morph jaeger (either Pomerine Jaeger or Parasitic Jaeger) which was seen by Peter Dramer and me just south of Bockman Channel. Bockman Channel is crossed by the first bridge south of the Grant Avenue access on the San Leandro/San Lorenzo border. The Jaeger was first seen sitting on a post, and then spent quite a while sitting on the mudflats in the midst of a group of Ring-billed Gulls with its back turned towards us. Finally it flew, attempting to snatch food from the Forster's Terns which were also in the area. We also saw either a Snow Goose or Ross Goose near Johnson's Landing (too far away decide which). The Burrowing Owl continues at Mt Trashmore.
Birds seen were:
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Snow Goose or Ross's Goose (Chen sp.)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
American Wigeon (Anas americana)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
American Coot (Fulica americana)
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)
dowitcher (Limnodromus sp.)
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Mew Gull (Larus canus)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Bonaparte's Gull (Larus philadelphia)
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
jaeger (Stercorarius sp.)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Southern Richmnond Shoreline
Sun, 14 Nov 1999 23:02:07 -0800
From: Phil Maynard
This Sunday morning we birded along the southern Richmond shoreline. We did not see the Peregrine Falcon on the Point Isabel radio tower, but an Osprey was there. The highlight was finally spotting a Clapper Rail (that has been previously reported). We had a good view of the rail from the Bay Trail bridge that crosses Meeker Slough (near Marina Bay). There was some confusion in our group because one of our party saw a rail with a yellow bill, but it turns out she was looking at a Sora at the same time we watched the Clapper Rail which was taking a bath. At the same spot we watched some strange and beautiful behavior from some male Green-winged Teal, contorting themselves into a U, with the green speculum feathers appearing purple-blue. Other good birds included Savannah Sparrows, Red-breasted Mergansers, roosting Turkey Vultures, lots of Pintails, Black Turnstones, scaups and Surf Scoters.
Phil Maynard, Richmond