[EBB Sightings] Las Trampas Sparrows

Birders,

With the departure last week of the Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve 
Grasshopper Sparrows, this morning I decided to follow up on Michelle 
Brodie's report of sparrows at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. From 
the parking lot I had ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and BLACK-HEADED 
GROSBEAK. Ascending Rocky Ridge Rd a WARBLING VIREO sang from one side 
as a COPPER'S HAWK eyed me from the other. On either side of Rocky 
Ridge Trail 50 yards beyond where it leaves the pavement of Rocky Ridge 
Rd and Cuesta Trail forks off, I scoped 5 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS 
including 3 juveniles. On Upper Trail 100 yards south of its northern 
terminus 3 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS including 1 juvenile perched in 
trailside shrubs. A bit farther south I saw 2 more juvenile Grasshopper 
Sparrows, apparently no longer accompanied by adults. The song of 
another Rufous-crowned Sparrow drifted up from somewhere below the 
trail. At the point where Upper Trail gains the ridgeline 100+ 
WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS wheeled and called overhead. Occasionally one 
would dive down and zoom past me at close range. Scattered along my 
route were 5 LAZULI BUNTINGS.

Directions and a map: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/lastram.htm

Dennis Braddy
San Ramon