[EBB Sightings] Summer Camp Birds: August 14-17, 2007

EBB Folks:  I am forwarding this message for Brian Fitch.  Due to 
computer/listserver difficulties, it was not formally posted to EBB last 
week, when I first sent it.  If you have questions or comments, please 
contact Brian directly at fogeggs at aol.com.  Thanks.  Kay Loughman, Berkeley.
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On Tuesday at the Albany Waterfront, we saw one Osprey and one American 
Kestrel, several Greater and a single Lesser Yellowlegs, Wandering 
Tattler and Black Turnstone, and continuing Red-necked Phalaropes, one 
of which swam within three feet of the kids as they played on the beach. 
  A lone Black Skimmer was working the low tide line early in the morning.

On Thursday at the Berkeley Marina, the Brant was still behind the 
Seabreeze, four White Pelicans flew over, two Pelagic Cormorants were 
still sitting on the breakwater nest, with four others nearby, a 
White-tailed Kite was over the meadow, a Wandering Tattler was south of 
the racetrack by the sporting fields construction, several Elegant Terns 
were fishing north of the pier, and a Barn Owl was flapping around along 
the northern edge of the meadow near the ten o'clock hour.

Vollmer Peak was very disappointing for our final week, with little 
migratory action despite many newly arrived species being seen in other 
parts of the Bay Area.  The only highlight in Tilden this week was the 
Sage Sparrow, which I bring up again because after viewing pictures of 
birds of this species currently being seen in San Mateo County, I 
realized that the individual we saw on Monday was a vagrant of the 
interior subspecies, not Belli from Mt Diablo and other coastal 
locations.  It had a pale gray head, a thin, dark throat stripe, and a 
pale brown, streaked back.

I want to thank Kay for forwarding my posts this summer; providing a 
wonderful example of community overcoming technological shortcomings.
Brian Fitch & Crew