[EBB Sightings] Jewel Lake

Dear Birders:

This morning a friend and I took the Packrat Trail which traverses the
upper part of the northeast-facing slope in the Jewel Lake area.  She
wanted to see a Varied Thrush.  We were generously rewarded.  As
reported before, every other bird was a Varied Thrush so we had good
looks at both males and females.  She was elated and so was I.  Other
birds seen or heard included a Brown Creeper spirally up an oak,
Spotted Towhee, several Hermit Thrushes, Steller's Jay, Raven,
Red-shoulded Hawk, and a Winter Wren. 

Dropping down to Jewel Lake which is once again milk-chocolate colored
after the recent showers, we found several buffleheads, both male and
female. Two Ring-necked Ducks -- a male and female -- could be observed
close at hand instead of in a distant cove where they're usually found
at nearby Lake Anza.  At the south end of the lake stood two egrets --
the Great Egret and a smaller bird which appeared to be the Snowy Egret
though it was partly-obscured by vegetation.

Spring is showing itself already on this last day of January.  Many of
the willows have catkins and above the Packrack trail under the oaks a
rare Western Leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis), native only to the Bay
Area coastal counties is showing its yellow flowers.

Phila Rogers


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Need a quick answer? Get one in minutes from people who know.
Ask your question on www.Answers.yahoo.com