[EBB Sightings] RFI: Mines Rd. or alternate

Greetings. 

Many of you have probably seen the original of the posting below on the NBB listserve last week. That was before I found out about this list, which would have been a more appropriate location for the request. Our actual target is the Bell's Sage Sparrow, with Lawrence's Goldfinch being a secondary target along the way. If we miss the goldfinch, it's not a big deal since we have seen them along Mines Road in the summer quite a few years ago (1978). We'd still like to refresh our acquaintances with them if the chance presents itself.

I have received some valuable information and suggestions from readers of the NBB list but I figure some folks on the list of the actual area could provide some real time suggestions from recent encounters with these birds.

"Two of us will be heading to the bay area
in a couple of weeks. In addition to the excuse of
paying a visit to my friend's sister in Petaluma, we
will also be doing some birding in the Marin area as
well as heading east for a couple of days to bird the
Sierras. On our last day we were planning to try along
Mines Road out of Livermore for some of the usual
suspects, with the main target bird being (Bell's)
Sage Sparrow. I recently read another posting on
another site (not NBB) stating that Mines Rd. is excellent in
the Spring and Summer, but fall and winter are much
less productive and the time could be put to better
use birding elsewhere. Can anyone verify this, and if
so, advise a reliable location to see the Bell's
Sparrow? Also, are there any locations in which
Lawrence's Goldfinches are being seen since they have
likely moved out of their nesting areas and it has
been a while since we have had an opportunity to
observe that species."

Again, thanks in advance for any information.

Ed Boyd
Westminster, MD