[EBB Sightings] GGAS Arrowhead Marsh Bicycle Trip, Saturday, Dec 3, 2005

GGAS Arrowhead Marsh Bicycle Trip, Saturday, Dec 3, 2005
>From the bridge between Alameda and Bay Farm Island we biked down the
trail of Shoreline Park in Alameda and saw lots of Surf Scoters and
Eared Grebes in the channel, and then we rode back up the trail and
around to Doolittle Pond to see the tide rushing in and a Cooper's Hawk
on the fence. It was cool and windy but thankfully sunny. We made a
short stop at the Doolittle Staging area on busy Doolittle Drive, where
we saw lots of Canada Geese on the lawn. Finally at Arrowhead, we found
that the seasonal wetlands already have some water but not too many
birds yet, although we found six Greater Yellowlegs in one group. Over
the marsh a Northern Harrier was very actively searching for prey, and
a Great Egret was hunting. The Clapper Rails raised the alarm when the
Harrier swooped over. Fortunately we observed no hunting success, but
finally managed to see a clever Clapper hiding under the viewing
platform which juts into the marsh. After that we called it a day and
rode the SF Bay Trail all the way to High St. Bridge and even found
some W. Meadowlarks. It was a lovely 9-mile trip. 
Birds seen (48): 
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Pintail
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Clapper Rail
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Ring-billed Gull
Western Gull
Rock Dove (I)
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Black Phoebe
American Crow
Marsh Wren
European Starling (I)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
California Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow (I)


kathy jarrett
kathy_jarrett at yahoo.com


		
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