[EBB Sightings] Coyote Hills is a surprising place

This last Saturday and Sunday the Bay Area Birds Class (GGA/AAS) visited
surprising Coyote Hills RP. Surprising in that unusual sightings seem to be
the norm at this unique bay location. Over the years the write-in list has
grown substantially and includes such oddities as Golden Eagle, Short-eared
Owl, Burrowing Owl, BG Gnatcatcher, Rock Wren and a strange
Shoveler/Blue-winged Teal hybrid several years back. While neither group
went bayside to look for the escaped Flamingo in the former salt ponds there
were plenty of highlights in the main marsh and around the visitor's center
including:

An AMERICAN BITTERN viewed in flight from the boardwalk - Rusty remembers
that there is a nesting record here for this great and uncommon bird;
California Thrasher - near the entrance kiosk singing crazily from the
willow thicket; Chicks, many, including Sora, Killdeer, Marsh Wren and Song
Sparrow; A likely Northern Harrier nest duty exchange; Much nesting material
being gathered; all the expected ducks plus female Bufflehead, Goldeneye,
Wigeon still here; Shorebirds - many LB Dowitcher, SP Plover, Least
Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper and one lone RN Phalarope spinning madly;
Common Yellowthroat and Marsh Wrens were very bold perching for all to see.
Migrant and summer passerines included Western Wood-Pewee, Western Kingbird,
Warbling Vireo, RB Nuthatch, YR Warbler, Western Tanager, WC Sparrow, BH
Grosbeak, Great-tailed Grackle, Hooded and Bullock's Orioles. Cumulative
total of 76 species for the two morning strolls at one of the most
productive and well maintained birding locations in the Bay Area.

Happy Trails!

Eddie Bartley