[EBB Sightings] Bush-bearing eagles and other Huckleberry happenings

I always check for eagles on the Com Towers atop Round
Top while I "boot up" on the tailgate of my car. This
time, it seemed like the eagle found me! The
gi-normous female was stunningly apparent as she
stretched her wings out and flew between Round Top and
my location, dipping down slightly into the canyon. 

With only one boot on, I couldn't jump up and view her
as she passed thru the trees, but once I was mostly
shod, laces dangling, I glassed her to discover that
she was carrying a substantial shrub in her talons!
Her mate flew higher overhead, and then they both
disappeared to the East behind a screen of vegetation
(at least from my vantage point). Boy, it sure seems
late for nest building activity. Was it some kind of
pair bond strenthening "stick" exchange? Or have my
Huckleberry eagles taken an interest in
horticulture??! 

A large accipiter flew overhead while I sat at the
bench overlooking Mt. Diablo. She was so large I
wanted to make her a Cooper's, but the ruler straight
edge to her tail feathers put the lie to that theory,
and just made her a very substantial Sharp shin.

Delightfully warmish temps, and damp earth and mosses
from the recent rain made for a splendid and
sweet-smelling loop along the trail. As I approached
the end, I heard the first of our local Empidonax
flycatchers. It called steadily, but for the life of
me I couldn't locate it along the heavily treed slope.
I finally got ahead of where it was calling, and
looked back; still couldn' see it.

I was about to give up when out it flew, to perch,
calling, directly in front of me! Oh yeah, got great
looks at it: its yellow and dark beak, it's twitchy
tail, it's open bill, yellow wash on the breast, even
the contrast of light and dark in its tail feathers.
But being an Empid, and my being a not so great ear
birder, I am still not sure what I was seeing/hearing.
Three call notes, slur in the middle, damned if I
know. Coming home to peruse my birding library just
made me more confused. So, unknown Empid is the best
that I can do. Still, nice for it to show itself,
despite the fact that it was little or no help with an
ID!

Speaking of avian mysteries, any theories on that
eagle?

Debbie Viess