[EBB Sightings] Surfbirds and Bluebirds-SF Bay Trail-Berkeley to Richmond

ESSP and Aquatic Park GGAS Bicycle Trip
Berkeley to Richmond on the SF Bay Trail
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The Black-crowned Night Herons were in the willows on the southern pond at Aquatic Park, and Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers on the main pond. About 1/2 mile south of University Ave on the SF Bay Trail were Surfbirds amongst the Willets. At the Berkeley Meadow we had a large group of Western Bluebirds just beyond the gate across from the Sea Breeze Market at University and the freeway frontage road. From the hill behind the race track we spotted a Pelagic Cormorant on the decrepit pier. At Buchanan St we saw our first Am. Wigeons and at Central Ave we saw our first Green-winged Teals. We found the Ravens on the northern section of the trail beyond Meeker Slough in Richmond. At Marina Bay we found a Spotted Sandpiper on the rocky shore. Returning south we saw Greater Yellowlegs east of Rydin Rd just north of Central Ave. Seven of us ignored threats of rain and enjoyed a quite beautiful day. 59 species seen:

Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Canada Goose
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Marbled Godwit
Surfbird
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Long-billed Dowitcher
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Western Gull
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon (I)
Anna's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
American Crow
Common Raven
Western Bluebird
American Robin
European Starling (I)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch