[EBB Sightings] Pinole shoreline and Meeker Slough

EBBirders-

With thanks to Laura Look for her instructive posts, Kathie Meadows and I went out and explored several new areas along the Pinole shores.

At the end of Tennant Ave, at high tide, there were Willets, Dowitchers, one lone BB Plover coming into alternate plumage, Cal, Western, and Ring-billed Gulls (tried to make something else of them for naught), and 2 bathing Caspian Terns.  Ducks included several Canvasback pairs, Lesser Scaup, and Wigeon. There was a very cooperative Clark's Grebe in the channel.  No rock birds, but it looks like it has potential.

We then went down to San Pablo Shoreline at the end of Pinole Shores Drive.  Not much to see at high tide.  There were birds in the distance to the north, but nothing with positive IDs.  We were keeping our eyes out for Brants and Black Scoters, but nothing unusual to report.

Then on to Meeker Slough, from Shimida Friendship Park,  where the action picked up: a Red-Throated Loon was diving and churning up the water right under the bridge before heading out into the Bay.  A good assortment of shorebirds were working the mudflats and snoozing away the high tide.  There were at least 4 pairs of Green-Winged Teal, and many ducks far out on the water.  The sole Greater Yellowlegs was beautiful in its new alternate plumage.  More gulls and Grebes were out on the rocks.  It was a nice afternoon of birding in great weather.

Laura, I would love to know how you access the Surfbirds at the San Pablo Shoreline.  Can you walk further north to the rocks?

Cheers,

Pat Bacchetti
Oakland