[EBB Sightings] Lake Del Valle (Alameda County, 12-17-2004)

East-Bay Birders:

Yesterday afternoon at Lake Del Valle Regional Park I refound Kathy
Robertson's continuing Chipping Sparrow that she reported from 12 December
2004.  For her it was near the south-west corner of Eagle's View Parking
lot.  This is the first lot on the left after you turn right after paying
the $6 entrance fee.  Take the paved path down-hill along the south end of
the parking lot.  Kathy Robertson had the Chipping Sparrow uphill to the
left where the paved path ends.  I refound the Chipping Sparrow in the
ravine to the left below this same spot.  I later found the Chipping Sparrow
with a large flock of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows along the
trail to the left of the same lawn following northward along the east side
of the "Lake". 

Other birds in the area were a fly-over immature Golden Eagle, a pair of
Common Mergansers, 7 Killdeer, 7 Long-billed Dowitchers, 1 Greater
Yellowlegs, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, etc.  The large flock of Canada Geese
included no Cackling Geese and no "Aleutian" Cackling Geese.  Near Beach
View a Bobcat was wandering around causing the covey of California Quail to
fly out of the cattails and perch high in the trees.  After the bobcat had
disappeared into the cattails, the quail remained high on their perches.
   
--
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County