[EBB Sightings] Clapper Rail & Allen's HB-GGAS Bicycle-Hayward Shoreline-Sat Mar21

GGAS Bicycle-San Leandro Marina to Eden Landing via Hayward Shoreline/SF Bay Trail
Saturday, March 21, 2009-Kathy Jarrett, Leader
Highlights: Clapper Rail and Allen's Hummingbird
A Clapper Rail was seen foraging in the water between the trail and the golf course in San Leandro, and an Allen's Hummingbird was seen just outside the West Winton entrance to the Hayward Shoreline. There is a seasonal wetland along the power lines on West Winton Ave, also just before the entrance to the parking lot where we found N. Shovelers. Barn Swallows were flying around the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center (nr. the San Mateo Bridge approach). Whimbrels and Black-bellied Plovers were in abundance on the return trip. High tide was about 9:15, with practically no birds on the bay between 9 and noon, and lots of birds on the mud flats in the afternoon. The day was mostly cool and windy with a few sprinkles about 12:30. Five of the 8 people arrived on BART.  One person was very glad that Blair carried an extra tube and patch kit. 
56 species seen:
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Canada Goose
Green-winged Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Clapper Rail
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Willet
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Dowitcher sp.
Mew Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon (I)
Mourning Dove
Allen's Hummingbird
Black Phoebe
Barn Swallow
American Crow
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling (I)
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow (I)