[EBB Sightings] Oystercatcher and Tattler Compilation and Thanks!

Thanks to Jeff, Doug, Ted, Bob, Joe, Hilary, Art, Maureen, Idell,  
Kitty, Steve, Ed, Kathy, and John for their help in my quest.  Below  
is a compilation of their comments and advice.

Fortunately, oystercatchers don?t appear to be that tough.  Tattlers  
are apparently another matter. I went on a LA Audubon Pelagic trip out  
of San Pedro last weekend, and I guess I got lucky--an oystercatcher,  
a tattler and a surfbird were among the first birds we saw.   
Unfortunately my images of them weren?t that great and I want to do  
better.  Though its way out of our area, if anyone is interested, I?ve  
posted the shots from that trip here:  http://www.photohutch.com/Nature/Recent_Shoots/LA_Audubon_Pelagic/index.html 
   (sorry, I couldn't figure out how to do a direct link in plain  
text. . . .).

Again, thanks to all for the help!!

Happy Birding!

Steve


Oystercatchers

-Richmond Marina

-Salute Restaurant at the Richmond Marina.

-The breakwater at Vincent Park

-Point Isabel: park beyond the Costco at the
far end of Central Avenue in El Cerrito, then walk south along the bay  
(near the fenced-off water treatment plant, the tall towers, and the  
pier sticking out into the bay). (This is near where the Dusky Warbler  
appeared last October.) The best shorebirding in this area is to the  
north towards Meeker Slough, but the southern section, toward the  
Costco and the Albany mudflats is very reliable for tame oystercatchers.

-Albany Bulb:  go out to the very end of Albany bulb, to the rocky  
breakwater that encloses a kind of lagoon. That's a great place to see  
and photograph oystercatchers. The tide doesn't matter, though I'd  
avoid a very high tide

-Berkeley Marina:  the east (freeway) side of the cove just north of  
the Berkeley  Meadow. Go past the Seabreeze Market, take the first  
right and park across from the Marriott.

-Point Emery:  on the other side of I-80/I-580 from Ashby Avenue. The  
frontage road path between Emery Point and Gilman.

-Pinole Creek Sandbar:  exit Highway 80 at Pinole Valley Road (center  
of Pinole) then go west on Pinole Valley Road towards the bay.  It  
becomes Tennant part way along, then crosses over the railroad tracks.  
Park in the lot by the sewage treatment plant then walk to the right  
or north to see the mudflats then the sandbar.


  Tattlers

-Marina Park in San Leandro:  they're a migratory bird and you have to  
get very, very lucky, or get the migration timing right.  See last  
March/April postings for dates. Walk on the grassy jetty (there are 2  
parallel trails) to near the end and scope the island just off shore.  
Take the Marina Blvd. exit, and head toward the bay. The road makes a  
left bend and then parallels the bay, becoming Monarch Bay Dr.  Park  
at the lot at the end of this road

-Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland

-Salute Restaurant at the Richmond Marina.

- Recently have seen wandering tattlers and surfbirds on bayshore just  
south of univ ave in berkeley and historically south to ashby ave.  
only at high tide which flushes them onto rocks. you have to walk very  
close to edge. look for groups of birds and then for your desired birds.

-All the Tattlers I have seen were on the coast (Bodega Head to Moss  
Landing) or on Alcatraz (dock area or on west side)

?The only Wandering Tattler I ever saw was in Oregon. . . .?

?As for tattlers, I'm still looking myself; never seen one in the East  
Bay. . . .?

The last couple made me chuckle about the difficulty of the tattler  
quest. . . .