[EBB Sightings] American bittern continues off Nobel Drive, Fremont

Hi birders,

I birded the Pacific Commons  Linear Park on Monday, 2/15/10.  It turns out 
that there are two (!)  AMERICAN BITTERNS at the location reported earlier 
(see Stephanie?s post  below).  They were both feeding along the edge of the 
open water in the SE  corner of the easternmost pond (where there is a 
narrow, rocky shoreline covered  with chain link).  There was also a male 
BLUE-WINGED TEAL in that  location.

The FERRUGINOUS HAWK continued in the fields south of the  marsh.  I 
watched it feeding, surrounded by about a dozen Common Ravens  waiting for 
leftovers.  Then a Red-tailed Hawk flew in and claimed the prey  item, and the 
Ferruginous ended up waiting in line with the Ravens.

Good  birding,
Kathy Robertson
Hayward, CA


In a message dated  2/9/2010 1:36:14 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
scfloyd2000 at yahoo.com writes:
I  stopped by the fenced-in marsh/ponds behind the Synnex building off 
Nobel Drive  in Fremont in hopes of seeing the AMERICAN BITTERN reported by 
Calvin Lou on  January 31.  I was the only person on the path, and as I 
approached the  marsh, the bittern flushed from the corner nearest the brown pillar 
that says  "wander wonder" on it.  I had an excellent view of the bird's 
brown back,  dark flight feathers, and yellow feet as it flew to the long brown 
grass in the  middle of the marsh, landed, and put itself into its most 
upright posture with  bill skyward.

This is a very birdy (and rather smelly) area near the dump  at the end of 
Auto Mall Parkway. In addition to the bittern I saw a COMMON  MOORHEN in the 
marsh and two beautiful CINNAMON TEAL flying from one pond to the  next. A 
scope would be helpful not only for peering into the marsh but for  viewing 
the thousands of gulls and other birds in the wide green fields to the  west 
and south, where I did not see the ferruginous hawk during my very short  
visit today.

Directions: Take the Auto Mall Parkway off I-880 and go  west. Turn left on 
Nobel Drive, then right at the driveway for Synnex. Continue  west to the 
back of the parking lot where you'll find an opening in the chain  link fence 
leading to the pathways and viewing platforms. Alternatively, stay on  Auto 
Mall Parkway until you reach the end of the buildings in the industrial  
park, then turn left into the parking lot behind the buildings, and follow the 
 chain link fence south to the opening.


Stephanie Floyd
Fremont