[EBB Sightings] Hayward Shoreline Sun Mar 4-Snow Geese, Eurasian Wigeon and more; Clapper Rail research

San Leandro Marina-Hayward Shoreline-SF Bay Trail
GGAS Bicycle Birding Trip
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Trip Report-Kathy Jarrett, leader
Eight birders enjoyed this beautiful winter day, seeing approximately
62 species along the way from Monarch Drive and Marina Blvd to the
Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center and back. The bay had rafts of
ducks as far as the eye could see, and one Eurasian Wigeon was spotted
amongst the American Wigeons near the sewer treatment plant near the
end of Grant St. On top of Mt. Trashmore, as the landfill just west of
the West Winton access to the Bay Trail is called, we saw Northern
Harriers being harried by crows. A Kestrel made a kill and proceeded to
eat it just east of the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, and on
our return trip a Northern Harrier male swooped down and snatched a
mouse away just south of the golf course. The Avocets are turning that
apricot color which signals the end of winter, and the Black-necked
Stilts are looking beautiful as they strut through the water. Our only
Green-winged Teals of the day were seen from the road just outside the
West Winton access at the seasonal wetland along the power lines. The
small group of Snow Geese was seen north of the paved trail from West
Winton on the grass-covered hill. The Common Moorhen was spotted on the
small basin next to the housing development called Heron Bay near
Lewelling Ave. Two people bicycled all the way from Oakland, and five
arrived on BART and bicycled the 3 miles to the SF Bay Trail. We saw
two men who said they are trapping Clapper Rails in the marsh just
north of the Interpretive Center. The Clapper Rails apparently walk
into the unbaited traps and a radio signal alerts the researchers that
the trap has closed and they wade out and put a radio-signal device on
the bird so they can follow its whereabouts. 
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
White-tailed Kite
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Semipalmated Plover
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Surfbird
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Forster's Tern
Rock Dove (I)
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
American Crow
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling (I)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
House Finch


kathy jarrett
kathy_jarrett at yahoo.com


 
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