[EBB Sightings] Murrieta's Well, Mines Road and Del Valle.

Birders,

This morning, Vern Bothwell and I visited Mines Road, south of Livermore, and Del Valle Regional Park.  At Murrietta's Well (milepost 0.3) we were treated to the sight of a V-formation of about 80 Canada Geese, being led by a single Cackling Goose.

A flock of about 60 Band-tailed Pigeons flew over, the first I've seen in the Livermore area this year.  A bumper crop of acorns in the area may have attracted them.

We found no Eurasian Collared-Doves at Murieta's Well, even though we were there from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m., when they are usually quite active and vocal.  However, at milepost 1.3, we saw seven Eurasian Collared-Doves perched together on wires in the driveway with mailbox #3940.  My previous sightings had been three at Murrieta's Well and two at the Almond orchard at milepost 1.65.  So the total is now between seven and twelve.  It probably won't be long until they are quite common in the area.

At Del Valle, we found three "Aleutian" Cackling Geese with a large flock on Canada Geese, possible the same ones that flew over Murrieta's Well earlier.

We also saw one male Tarantula on the Del Valle entrance road, and another on Mines Road.  I usually see several about this time of the year, when the males look for mates.

Art Edwards,
Livermore