[EBB Sightings] Best time to visit Sunol Regional Wilderness?

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Hi all,
First of all, as I think most would agree, birding is the morning is nearly 
always better than birding in the middle of the day. I would check for the 
sparrow first thing and, if you don't find it, come back later in the day. 
Sunol Regional Park was once my favorite stomping grounds. My favorite way of 
birding it was to start at HQ and follow Alameda Creek upstream, under the 
bridge at the far end of the parking lot, and then upstream further to the 
confluence with what I think is Calaveras Creek. From there you have to go back up 
to the main fire road to get to Little Yosemite which was absolutely raging a 
couple of weeks ago. This is the traditional area for Dipper and is also good 
for Canyon Wren, though it might be hard to hear over the creek. The hillsides 
in the area also have Rufous-crowned Sparrows and, probably right now, 
migrant Rufous Hummingbirds. 
>From Little Yosemite you can either walk back to HQ on the fire road or take 
a number of different trails that will take you up on the ridges and then back 
down to HQ. There you would likely add more soaring raptors, swifts and 
swallows as well as a few additional grassland species.
This is a little early for a really high species total (mid-late April would 
be better) but I would still bet you would get at least 50 species if you 
birded thoroughly right now.
Good luck
Steve Glover
PS There is now a machine at the kiosk to take your $5 so you can't sneak in 
before the attendant gets there anymore.

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=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Hi all,

First of all, as I think most would agree, birding is the morning is nearly=20=
always better than birding in the middle of the day. I would check for the s=
parrow first thing and, if you don't find it, come back later in the day. 
Sunol Regional Park was once my favorite stomping grounds. My favorite way o=
f birding it was to start at HQ and follow Alameda Creek upstream, under the=
 bridge at the far end of the parking lot, and then upstream further to the=20=
confluence with what I think is Calaveras Creek. From there you have to go b=
ack up to the main fire road to get to Little Yosemite which was absolutely=20=
raging a couple of weeks ago. This is the traditional area for Dipper and is=
 also good for Canyon Wren, though it might be hard to hear over the creek.=20=
The hillsides in the area also have Rufous-crowned Sparrows and, probably ri=
ght now, migrant Rufous Hummingbirds. 

>From Little Yosemite you can either walk back to HQ on the fire road or take=
 a number of different trails that will take you up on the ridges and then b=
ack down to HQ. There you would likely add more soaring raptors, swifts and=20=
swallows as well as a few additional grassland species.

This is a little early for a really high species total (mid-late April would=
 be better) but I would still bet you would get at least 50 species if you b=
irded thoroughly right now.

Good luck

Steve Glover

PS There is now a machine at the kiosk to take your $5 so you can't sneak in=
 before the attendant gets there anymore.

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