[EBB Sightings] Tufted Duck; White-throated Sparrow; Harlequin Duck

Highlights of a beautiful day of birding.  We started at Lake Merritt in 
Oakland with all the normal species and the male Tufted Duck just to the 
left of the visitor center.  From there we went to Garretson Point in 
Oakland and got good looks at the White-throated Sparrow.  We were unable to 
find a Swamp Sparrow or any Blue-winged Teal.  After a quick stop at 
Arrrowhead Marsh, which was very quiet, we moved on to Richmond.  We were 
happy we made a stop at Shimada Friendship Park (off of Marina) as we were 
rewarded with a beautiful Harlequin Duck just offshore.  We moved on to Jay 
& Barbara Vincent Park, enjoying a great fly over of an Osprey, but no 
Long-tailed Duck.  Then we backtracked to Berkeley for a stop at Albany 
Marsh.  It was low tide and most ducks were napping and that is exactly how 
we viewed a pair of Eurasian Wigeon side by side.  Next we checked out the 
waters at the end of University Avenue and were surprised with a Pelagic 
Cormorant swimming just offshore near the fishing pier. Our next stop was at 
Emery Pt. where we saw several Surfbirds, Black Turnstones and 
Oystercatchers.  We ended the trip at Emeryville Marina and added a Spotted 
Sandpiper.



Judi Cooper (for Bingham Gibb's Birding Group)

Moraga