[EBB Sightings] Saturday Half Day at Mitchell Canyon

EastBayBirders,

We knew it would be a good day at Mitchell Canyon today when a CASSIN'S 
VIREO was singing from a tree next to the pay station ($5). Around the 
parking lot were HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, 
HUTTON'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. Along the 
first part of the trail we heard WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE and ASH-THROATED 
FLYCATCHER. At a bit less and a bit more than two miles from the 
parking lot we had WESTERN TANAGERS. In between we had 8 NASHVILLE 
WARBLERS, double-digit numbers of HERMIT, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, 
TOWNSEND'S, WILSON'S,  and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, Pacific-slope 
Flycatchers, Cassin's, Hutton's, and Warbling Vireos, several 
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS and BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a LAZULI BUNTING, 2 
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, 2 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS, and one RUFOUS 
HUMMINGBIRD.

In general the birds were unusually confiding; we had particularly 
excellent views of 6 of the 7 warbler  species (all but Yellow-rumped), 
all 3 vireos, and Pacific-slope Flycatcher. We observed a Hutton's 
Vireo taking food to its lichen-encrusted nest and an ANNA'S 
HUMMINGBIRD squeezing into its elastic nest. A frantic DARK-EYED JUNCO 
making a ruckus about a Garter snake raiding its trailside nest 
attracted our attention and the attention of other birds. At one time 
there were 4 Orange-crowned Warblers, 2 Wilson's Warblers, and the 
junco in the same small bush just above the snake. Two Anna's 
Hummingbirds and a Nashville Warbler also came to see what was up. I'm 
practicing my junco alarm call as I write.

Dennis and Patricia Braddy
San Ramon

On Apr 17, 2005, at 1:36 AM, Jeff wrote:

> This morning at Mitchell Canyon and red road trail in Mount Diablo 
> State Park I had multiple sightings of Hermit, Black-throated Gray, 
> Nashville, Yellow-rumped and Townsends Warblers in addition to 
> plentiful Wilson's and orange crowned warblers.� Other sightings 
> included plentiful black-headed grosbeaks and empid flycatchers, all 
> three resident vireos, several lazuli buntings, a California 
> thrasher,�and one striking rufous among the high concentration of 
> rufous/Allens and Annas hummingbirds in certain spots.�
>  �
> Jeff Acuff
> Lafayette