[EBB Sightings] Cesar Chavez Park, Murres and more

I just took an early walk around Cesar Chavez park in Berkeley. Of note:

Two Common Murre off the west shore. A nearly alternate plumage bird quite close, a basic plumage bird quite far out.

   -In the past, when I've seen Murres close to shore they've often seemed sick, oiled or else food stressed. I can't tell what is going on here. At one point DC Cormorants began coming in from all directions to a fish shoal. Scores of them. The Murres payed no attention. Out on Monterey Bay, I've seen Murres feeding frenziedly with Brandt's Cormorants on baitfish shoals. But these two showed no such inclination. Either they're not food stressed or else they are too weak to forage. I hope it's the former.

An Elegant Tern

Two Pelagic Cormorants on the breakwater.

Scores of Aechmophorus grebes of both flavors.

Quite a tight flock of 50+ Brown-headed Cowbirds, all of them birds-of-the-year.

  -Interesting that young birds seek out and flock with other young birds. I know Cowbirds are gregarious, but these birds seemed more close knit than is typical for Blackbirds.


     Rusty Scalf