[EBB Sightings] Livermore Valley

Managed to find a few good birds today despite the conditions. I found 3
Hooded Mergansers and 2 Common Goldeneye at Poppy Ridge golf course ponds.
The pond along Arroyo Rd on the Wente golf course held about 5 species
including Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup. Lake del Valle looks like
chocolate milk and the creek is flowing strong. The shorebirds where missing
but White Pelican, Greater Scaup, Spotted Sandpiper and Phainopepla where
worth the trip. Lake del Valle also produced the most unexpected bird of the
day, Violet-green Swallows! I found a single Collared Dove on Tesla Rd near
Kent winery. The private gravel ponds off El Charro Rd / 580 held
Canvasback, Redhead and a pair of Wood Ducks swimming in a flooded field
near the fish ladders. 
Ran into Kathy Robertson (a stealth Alameda County Big Year participant) at
Shadow Cliffs RP this afternoon and we filled each other in on the days
highlights. Kathy showed me two Common Loon's and Horned Grebes before a
sudden rain squall sent us packing.
My 2008 Alameda County big year total is 107. 

Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore California
USA