[EBB Sightings] Arrowhead Marsh at high tide today.

Hi EBBers,

There was a really nice near perigean (perihelion was one month ago) spring 
tide at Arrowhead Marsh today....and a nice turn out of birders to enjoy the 
rails and other birds.

Dave Quady counted 49 Clapper Rails, a total with which I concur, although 
there were probably more.    I also saw two Virginia Rails and seven Soras. 
Four or five of the Soras were especially cooperative, roosting and/or 
foraging close to the shoreline trail.  The pier sported roosting Marbled 
Godwits, Willets, Black Turnstones, Black-necked Stilts, and assorted 
others, numbering about 1500 birds total - quite a sight.  There were no 
sightings of unusual sparrows to my knowledge.

In the mitigation area south of the marsh, I found ten Greater White-fronted 
Geese, four Cackling Geese (minima), and two Burrowing Owls (back side of 
mounds 1 and 4).

There was a Barrow's Goldeneye in the "Airport Channel".  See map at 
http://www.ebparks.org/files/MLK_map_12-09A.pdf     for the location of this 
water channel.   A Common Merganser was in San Leandro Creek, my first there 
since 2004.

Good birding,
Bob Battagin
Woodacre