[EBB Sightings] BRRP Grasshopper Sparrows

Birders,

They're gone. The Grasshopper Sparrows that began arriving at Bishop 
Ranch Regional Preserve (BRRP) the last week of April were still 
present on the 4th of July, but not today. During their 9+ week stay 
they established and defended 5 territories each of which stretched 
about 150 yards along Red Tail Hawk Trail from just south of the 
intersection with Gray Fox Trail (territory #1) to the fence line on 
the spur trail north of the GPS station (territory #5). The sparrows on 
territories #1, #3, and #5 stopped singing and then disappeared 3-4 
weeks ago with no sign of breeding success. I saw one adult and one 
juvenile sparrow on territory #2 about 3 weeks ago; the following week 
they were gone. 2 weeks ago I saw a singing adult and a juvenile on 
territory #4. The juvenile sparrow was tailless, but flew just fine. On 
the 4th I saw those 2 birds again (the adult still singing even though 
its work was about done) and 2 more juveniles, both of which had normal 
tails. So the big winner was apparently the Grasshopper Sparrow on 
territory #4 adjacent to the GPS station with at least 3 young 
successfully fledged. Good luck to them all.

Dennis Braddy
San Ramon