[EBB Sightings] 100/100 Saturday

Jim Chiropolos and I took only three days in 2009 to meet our goal of 100 species/100 kilometer bike ride.   We took BART from Lake Merritt down to Fremont, reaching there at 9am Saturday morning for our starting point. We went immediately to Lake Elizabeth (first trip there for both of us) where we had four Red-breasted Sapsuckers in one tree, Burrowing Owl and Loggerhead Shrike.  We then proceeded to Alameda Creek where we picked up Common Moorhen, Herring Gull and Ring-necked Duck.  At Coyote Hills our highlights were  Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, second Loggerhead Shrike and Fox Sparrow. We then weaved our way up to Franks Dump where we picked up Snow and Cackling Geese.   Moving further north we had a Ruddy Turnstone, Forster?s Tern, Mew Gull and Eurasian Wigeon in route to Arrowhead Marsh where we added a Clapper Rail and a second Burrowing Owl.  

At Lake Merrit we stopped to take stock of our count, only to find ourselves three species short.  The Mute Swan was entertaining folks at the feeding area and then as we started losing sunlight proceeded to the Rose Garden where we finished with an Oak Titmouse and #100, a Red-shouldered Hawk. 

Biggest misses of the day, considering the habitat we covered, were Mergansers, Osprey, Sharp-shinned or Cooper?s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Whimbrel, Says Phoebe (what?), Bewick?s Wren, Spotted Towhee, American Pipit, Yellow-crowned Sparrow and Goldfinches.  

With an earlier start and better legs to add possibly the Emeryville/Berkeley shoreline we might up the goal to 110 species.   But for now a little rest is in order. 

On a walk with my family today in Estuary Park we located the Palm Warbler in pine trees near a swimming pool. 


Derek Heins 

Piedmont