[EBB Sightings] Stilt Sandpiper still at Oro Loma

Headed down to Oro Loma Sanitary District to see what yesterday's winter
weather brought in. The answer was "plenty". Tide was way out and there were
thousands of birds on the mudflats to the west of the settling ponds. There
was no wind and viewing conditions were near perfect. Most of the birds were
peeps and DUNLINS. I picked through a few nearby groups of Dowitchers and
picked out the STILT SANDPIPER feeding with them. Also noted a few RED KNOTS
and a BLACK TURNSTONE. Rafts of ducks just off-shore were mostly AMERICAN
WIGEONS, NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and NORTHERN PINTAILS. A few Scaups, GADWALLS,
and CINAMMON TEAL mixed in.

Ran into Bob Dunn, who pointed me to the warbler/sparrow flocks in the weedy
field just north of the parking lot. Just as Bob said there would be, I
found numerous YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, with a NASHVILLE, 3 YELLOW, and a
TOWNSEND'S mixed in. I also found Bob's LINCOLN'S SPARROWS (3) but missed
his Clay-colored Sparrow.

Continued on to Hayward Regional Shoreline at Winton and birded the trees
around the parking lot and Mount Trashmore. The trees and fennel were full
of crowned sparrows and good numbers of migrant warblers. Also 3 HERMIT
THRUSH, several RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, and a
couple Sooty FOX SPARROWS. One FOSP was singing incessantly, while the other
skulked around with what looked like nesting material in its bill. Very odd.

Best birds on Mount Trashmore were a couple HORNED LARKS, a flock of
AMERICAN PIPITS loosely associating with the WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, a juvenile
WHITE-TAILED KITE, 2 VAUX'S SWIFTS heading south, 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, and 2
COOPER'S HAWKS.




Bruce Mast
Oakland