[EBB Sightings] West Alameda co. local interest 2/28/10

Yesterday I birded various locations in west Alameda county, starting at Coyote Hills RP from 6:45 - 8 a.m., Ohlone Regional Wilderness from the end of Stanford Ave 8:30 - 11 a.m, end of West Winton Ave 11:30 - noon, finishing in Emeryville by 2:30 p.m.

I totaled 95 species seen and heard including 3 introduced species (4 if you count large Canada Geese as such.) 11 of these were new birds for my Alameda county list.

Some of highlights for me included:
continuing BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (heard in the sage scrub near the Quarry parking lot, C.H.R.P.)
AMERICAN BITTERN (seen foraging at close range in the C.H.R.P. marsh along Patterson Ranch Road)
multiple SORA and VIRGINIA RAILS heard (the latter almost continously, C.H.R.P.)
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW (about 3/4 of a mile along the south fork of the Ohloe Wilderness trail that starts at the end of Stanford Ave.)
SURFBIRD, (15) BLACK TURNSTONES, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER (with Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings, Willets, Least Sandpipers at Emory Point)
PELAGIC CORMORANT (alternate plumage, flying east of the Emeryville Marina)

Like Kathy Jarret, I too observed dog harassment of wildlife at Emory Point. The lone Surfbird seen was IDed as it flew away after a large dog charged into the feeding shorebird flock, flushing the birds in all directions. By the way, contrary to a recent post, Emory Point is NOT at the end of Powell Street but at the south end of Frontage Road. Not being an Alameda County local it took me a while to realize this.

I counted the shorebird roost across the road from the Emeryville Yacht Club offices coming up with (~360) Marbled Godwits, (~200) Willets, (10) Whimbrels, (2) Black Turnstones and a Dowitcher (probably Long-billed, but the bird was sleeping silently, showing few field marks.) 

Near the cattle enclosure along the Ohlone Wilderness trail to Mission Peak (take the south fork and past the cattle fence) there was a persistently calling Cooper's Hawk. 

Finally, while I didn't hear the previously reported Black Rail this morning at Coyote Hills I did run into another birder who arrived to the site an hour before me who told me he heard around 5:45 a.m. Hopefully he will share his observations with the list.

Good birding,
Dominik Mosur
San Francisco