[EBB Sightings] Mitchell Canyon Friday Birds

Here's a list of some birds spotted this Friday to look for in Mitchell
Canyon, Mt. Diablo State Park, this weekend.

Ash-throated Flycatchers--one in the parking lot and several along the
main trail.  (Plus Western Bluebirds and Acorn Woodpeckers)

Spotted in the trees across the stream just before and at the first flat
"meadow" on the right next to the main trail:
5+ Western Tanagers, 10+ Cedar Waxwings.

Interesting birds spotted primarily in the live oaks between the meadow
and White Canyon:
Warblers: Black-throated Gray (spotted in 4 different locations),
Townsends, Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned, Nashville, Wilson's.  Heard but
did not spot a Yellow Warbler about 100 feet before White Canyon in the
thick riparian vegetation along the stream.
Flycatchers:  Pacific-slope, Hammond's, Ash-throated
Vireos:  Hutton's and Warbling  (Cassin's spotted on Monday)--Ruby-crowned
Kinglet still hanging around.
Black-headed Grosbeaks were easily spotted and heard every 100 yds.--they
were noisier and more visible than the jays--go figure.  I stopped looking
for them after the 4th Grosbeak but they kept landing in visible branches
just above the trail calling our for attention--I never had such an easy
time seeing so many grosbeaks.
Spotted a nesting Hairy Woodpecker in a cavity filled snag along the
creek, several hundred yards before White Canyon.
Almost forgot, took the Black-point Trail--first fire road on the
right--about 100 yds. past where this trail makes the first hairpin turn
to the right, I spotted a very cooperative Calliope Hummingbird  in the
shrubby snags about 50 feet above the trail.  It was not being harrased
like the Calliopies I spotted in White Canyon, thus long rewarding looks
through a scope were possible. Please be sensitive to the Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers nesting in a small oak just adjacent to the downhill side of
the trail.

White Canyon:  Hummers included Allen's, Rufous, Anna's and Calliope.
Also a good selection of warblers in the Oaks.  Spotted a likely Dusky
Flycatcher 6 inches off the ground under the black sage, about 100 feet
past the old cinnabar(mercury) mine shaft on the right.

Ended the day by re-finding the cooperative Calliope along Black Point
trail and watching a Cooper's Hawk chasing and being chased by birds in
the parking lot.

Have a good weekend birding Mitchell Canyon and I hope you find some new
warblers not yet spotted (ie Hermits and MacGillivray's)

Many thanks to the good company of birders I encountered--Juan Carlos,
Robert and his parents, and John, the English gentleman.

--Ted Robertson--