[EBB Sightings] Pt. Pinole: Oystercatcher, P. Golden-Plovers, Vesper Sp, a note on Swifts

Today between 5 and 645pm I did a quick walk to Pt Pinole hoping to see the 20 Elegant Terns reported earlier at the pier. They were not there, in their stead were 20 plus Forster's Terns. Was not dissapointed because there was a single B. Oystercatcher snoozing on a piling near the terns, and right along side him(or her) were 4 Pacific Golden-Plovers. Also saw a couple of B. Pelicans along with DC Cormorants and H Gulls. 
   
  After this I walked southeast along the beach a bit , spotted some Willets in the distance, and then within .10 of a mile from the pier I got a fair look at a Vesper Sparrow (larger than a Savannah, white eye ring giving it a big-eyed look).
   
  The scattered blackberry brambles were full of White-c Sparoows, also Juncos, C Towhees and one Song Sparrow. I noticed no warblers other than a Yellow-rump.
   
  BTW, for you EBBers who haven't seen the Vaux's Swift spectacle in Healdsburg, I highly recommend you make the trip next year (probably most are gone now?), they peak in mid Sep. I was there last Fri and watched 4,000 swifts(10,000 a week earlier) gather in a great spinning wheel as they whirpooled into the chimney. This is definatly one of the great nature spectacles in Northern California(why did I take so long to make this pilgrimage? they've been gathering there evry fall since the early 90s). Now I am thinking about a trip to Portland, Or next Sep to see the biggest Swift gathering of all, 40,000! 
   
  David Diller
  Martinez

 		
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