[EBB Sightings] SFBBO Super sMeW Hayward Highlights 9/27

[Note: This is Mary Wisnewski posting yesterday's Hayward signtings on
behalf of Stephanie Ellis whose web email is on strike this evening.  -
mwiz]

Hello Birders.

Yesterday, Mary Wisnewski and I led the SFBBO Super sMeWs (it's an acronym -
not a sighting!) on a birding trip to the Hayward Regional Shoreline. This
trip was in support of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's annual
California Fall Challenge birdathon. The participants were Bill Walker,
Michael Mammoser, Tim Molter, Rita Desmond, Connie Dove, Sandy Moore, Spike
Marlowe, James Norman and Curtis Snyder.

We had a fantastic day with 74 species sighted and a terrific team. The trip
was planned to maximize access to passerine migrants and shorebirds at high
tide. We started the day at the West Winton Avenue parking lot of Hayward
Regional Shoreline at 8:30am, where we had great looks at Yellow Warblers in
the Eucalyptus and a Clay-colored Sparrow in the fennel west of the
"restroom", at the NE corner of Mt. Trashmore.

The long walk out to Frank's Dump gave us a chance to observe Osprey and
Horned Lark. Highlights among the shorebirds included Red Knots, Dunlin, one
Sanderling and two Snowy Plovers (among Marbled Godwit by the truckload...)

We then moved south to the Interpretive Center to watch the mudflats as the
tide receded, where we saw Semipalmated Plovers, Whimbrel, and nice
comparative views of Least and Western Sandpipers. We wrapped up our trip at
2:30pm after two Peregrine Falcons strafed a gull and shorebird flock for
several minutes near the Interpretive Center.

Bill Walker has kindly posted the complete trip report, summary and map on
his website at:

http://www.spflrc.org:3000/trips/649

Thank you Mary and Bill for your assistance in coordinating this wonderful
day.

Thank you Bob Richmond for your recent EBB Winton Ave. posts that got us
all super jazzed about this trip!

There are still more chances for all of you to be involved in the SFBBO
California Fall Challenge! We have 3 upcoming guided trips.

October 4th: Team Zugunruhe led by SFBBO Executive Director Scott Smithson.
Birding San Mateo County

October 11th: Gallinago Go Go's led by Lisa Myers of "Let's Go Birding".
Birding San Benito County

October 12th: Jay-Walkers led by SFBBO Science Programs Director Jill
Demers. Birding San Francisco via public transportation

For more information about these trips, visit
http://www.sfbbo.org/support/fall_challenge.php

Registration fees for the guided trips support SFBBO research and the
conservation of birds of the Bay and their habitats.

Good Birding,

Stephanie
Stephanie Ellis
 Outreach and Programs Coordinator
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
524 Valley Way
Milpitas, CA 95035
408-946-6548 x 12
www.sfbbo.org
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