[EBB Sightings] Martinez and Berkeley 4/12-4/13

Made a few stops at a couple Martinez favorites this
weekend and was rewarded with some interesting species

Around 7pm on 4/12 we stopped at the McNabney Marsh
right off 680 and got quite an eye-full.

Two pairs of Cinnamon Teal are displaying mating
behavior in the small pond right at where you enter
the marsh parking lot from Waterbird Road.  We also
spied a beautiful Common Moorhen.  Marsh Wrens were
singing and clearly visable.  The Great-Tailed
Grackles are now visible everywhere.

On the main marsh, ducks and sandpipers were in
greater numbers than I can ever recall -- we could
clearly see Pintail, American Wigeon, Northern
Shoveler and more Cinnamon Teal.  Hundreds of Willets
were whizzing about overhead and found throughout the
marsh, along with spectacular American Avocets and
Black-Necked Stilts in full breeding plumage.

Also about 6 White Pelicans were on the marsh.

After this we drove over to the Martinez Marina. 
Nothing too exciting to note, other than a pair of
relatively tame Black-Bellied Plovers working the
shore of the little lake -- a birding first for me. 
Was surprised to see Golden Crowned Sparrows (don't
they usually leave by now) in the bushes around the
lake.  Also saw a pair of Brown Headed Cowbirds.

We decided to make a brief stop at the Berkeley Marina
the morning of 4/13.  Plenty of grebes and ducks
(mostly Scaups) on the bay.  Of note on the grassy
areas were a hunting Northern Harrier along with
plenty of Western Meadowlarks and a White Throated
Sparrow!

Happy birding...



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com