[EBB Sightings] Wednesday afternoon in Heather Farm

Despite the winds, there were some very nice birds in the late afternoon at 
Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek.  While returning from a visit with my 
many friends at John Muir's Cardiac Rehab, I noticed a very large number of 
Canada Geese on the north ball field.  Racing home for my binoculars, I 
returned and counted 262 Canada Geese, 11 Killdeers and a couple of Crows. 
There was also one Cackling Goose, the white farm-type goose which hangs out 
with the Canadas, flying when they fly, and two Canadas which had some 
melanin deficiency, being pale-faced and having pinkish-yellow legs.

At the northwest corner of the large, mostly natural pond a Common 
Yellowthroat was poking around in the rushes.  In the cove at the southwest 
corner near the big hill, a Wood Duck pair was hanging out in the shadows 
with some Mallards.

Earlier in the day I had gone downtown to check the creeks there for 
Mergansers, remembering Joel Herr's posting of Oct. 18.  I did not find any 
near Newell Avenue, near Trader Joe's on California Blvd or near the library 
and Civic Park.  Trader Joe's had some Canada Geese and Mallards below the 
parking lot, a Great Egret was near Macy's just north of Newell.

I guess that is why the Wood Ducks were such a treat in Heather Farm.  They 
probably won't stay long, though back in 1982-83 there was a female who just 
lived here without a mate.

Hugh B. Harvey
Walnut Creek