[EBB Sightings] Arrowhead Marsh drama

I joined Pamela Llewellyn and a number of birders to witness the spectacle
of high tide at Arrowhead Marsh, near the Oakland Airport. The combination
of wind, rain, and the sun and moon's gravity created flood conditions at
the marsh. Water was almost up to the underside of the boardwalk, virtually
every plant in the marsh was submerged and the shrubs along the shore were
partly submerged and pounded by waves. The rails were understandably
distressed. They paced the boardwalk, cowered underneath it, floated by on
driftwood, swam around in the bay, and scurried around on the shore looking
for cover. There wasn't much. I didn't attempt a rigorous count but it
appeared to me there were easily 20-30 CLAPPER RAILS, a dozen VIRGINIA
RAILS, and a half dozen SORAS. A MERLIN raced through a couple times and the
second time he picked off a sparrow from the boardwalk. No Black Rails in
evidence today but a gentleman reported seeing 2 yesterday. The shores were
also crawling with Savannah and Song Sparrows, Marsh Wrens, and Common
Yellowthroats, all just about as distressed as the rails. The wind and rain
made sparrow watching a challenge so I couldn't rule out the possibility of
a Sharp-tailed Sparrow in the bunch.

A big flock of dabbling ducks on Mitigation Lake included 2 EURASIAN
WIGEONS.

Bruce Mast
Oakland, CA