[EBB Sightings] East Contra Costa and Martinez birds - 13 Jan 2008

Hi E.B. Birders

Here are some sightings from East Contra Costa and
Martinez/Carquinez Shoreline :  

Cackling Goose - 75 flying east over Dutch Slough and
Jersey Island Road at 7:30 am.

Tundra Swan - about 2,000 were in flight, east of the
Contra Costa Co. line, but 244 flew over me as I
viewed them from Clifton Court Forebay.  A bit later
20 came by, low over the forebay, about 100 yards out.

Snow Goose/Ross's Goose - Also seen from Clifton Court
Forebay.  A mixed flock of geese flew directly over my
head, containing about 150 Snow Geese and at least 7
Ross's Geese. About 100 Greater White-fronted Geese
were also in this flock.

Yellow-billed Magpies - 2 in the tall trees near
Knightsen Elementary School on Delta Road. 

Burrowing Owls - 2  near the first cattle guard along
Holey Road, south of the Byron Airport. 

Ferruginous Hawk - Also along Holey Road, see one in
the field just northeast of the home on the hill.
(Thanks to Homer and Judy Keesler for directing me to
this hawk.)

Osprey - one came into Clifton Court Forebay. 

In Martinez, 24  Barrow's Goldeneyes were way down the
shoreline to the west, by the dock near the lone
eucalyptus.  This was about a mile walk from the end
of the road at Carquinez Regional Shoreline on the
Martinez side. As Kirk Swenson pointed out, this much
farther west than I had seen them past years.   There
was also an adult male Hooded Merganser in this area. 

All the Best Birding,
Denise Wight
Moraga, Ca

P. S. I'm currently at 161 species seen for the 2008
Contra Costa Big Year.