[EBB Sightings] Oakland/Hayward shoreline Tuesday

On Tuesday I bicycle birded from Garretson Pt/Arrowhead Marsh to Eden 
Landing Ecological Preserve, BARTing from SF to the Coliseum station and 
returning by BART from the So. Hayward Station.

In the channel that runs south from Garretson Pt and west of the Garretson 
Pt Trail I saw and photographed a LOON which was clearly (I think) not a 
breeding adult.  I'd appreciate help with identification.  Photos at 
http://picasaweb.google.com/alpix123/MAY1209#.

Meanwhile, directly across the trail in the same area, a very tame Northern 
Bobwhite was wandering in the grass -- I didn't realize until I looked in 
the book later that it shouldn't be here.  Nor did I realize until I looked 
at my photos later that it had a metal ring in its upper mandible. 
Apparently an escaped domestic/pet bird, which, I just decided, doesn't 
warrant upper case.  Someone else will have to explain the ring.  It gave me 
a bad feeling.

Also of note (I think -- I'm new at this) a male NORTHERN PINTAIL in a pond 
east of the park road that runs from Swan Way to the Arrowhead Marsh 
observation tower, perhaps the same pond where White-faced Ibises were 
sighted recently.  I did not get a photo of the Pintail.  About eight 
CASPIAN TERNS on an island in the same pond.  Farther south, in what I 
believe is called Frank's Dump, my first ever RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, again 
about eight of them, with a hundred(?) more spread out sparsely on the City 
Ponds(?) south of W Winton Ave.  In a pond near the SE corner of the loop 
trail by Cogswell Marsh I photographed a duck which to my eye most closely 
matches a female COMMON GOLDENEYE.  I think they're not expected to be here 
now.  I'd appreciate either confirmation or correction on the ID.  The photo 
is at the same link. On the west side of the same Cogswell loop trail, my 
first ever BRANDT'S CORMORANT standing up tall right beside the trail.  It 
was alive and well enough to fly to the water when a hiker approached from 
the other direction.  Once on the water it shook its head and bill back and 
forth for a few seconds, as though trying to regurgitate or dislodge 
something, then appeared normal.

        -- Al Chase
           San Francisco