My new view
Sat, 25 Mar 2000 11:26:58 -0800
From: Judy
After having a view of a rooftop for 5 years, I have moved to the Laurel district, Oakland, and have an open field and hills for a view. Just using compact binocs I spotted a white owl, probably Barn Owl, high up in an evergreen (cedar?) probably at 39th near Bayo. And we have some melodious mockingbirds and a red-tail as regular visitors. I've just begun looking and haven't even put up a bird feeder yet. Any other EBbirders in the neighborhood?
East Contra Costa County, March 26
Sun, 26 Mar 2000 18:16:41 PST
From: Steve Glover
Hello all,
Today I went out to do some atlasing in eastern Contra Costa County and had a few interesting birds.
At the east end of Camino Diablo, east of Hwy J-4 in Byron, I stumbled on some ponds that appear to have great potential. There was nothing rare there today but lots of birds including Black-necked Stilt, Canada Goose, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Rough-winged Swallow. Checking the transmission towers to the east, I saw occupied Red-tailed Hawk nests to the north and to the south. On Bixler Rd, which is reached by taking Byer Rd east from Hwy J-4, there were a Long-billed Curlew and 2 Whimbrel.
Going north on Bixler and crossing over Hwy 4, I found 2 more Red-tail nests and a Common Raven nest in the same set of transmission towers mentioned previously.
The highlight of the day was a light-phase Swainson's Hawk building a nest in the large eucalyptus at the corner of Byron Hwy and Chestnut. This is just the fourth block this species has been confirmed in thus far.
Turning left (west) on Chestnut, there is an occupied Yellow-billed Magpie nest in a very large willow tree on the north side of the road. This is just the 6th block for this species, a species that appears to be increasing. Near here was one of just 2 Western Kingbirds on the day so they are just beginning to arrive.
I then walked the riparian strip along Creek Rd west of Brentwood. To get there from Hwy 4 take Seller's Rd south to Concord Blvd and go west to Creek Rd, which will be on your right. Although not exactly pristine, the birding is interesting here at the meeting point of Central Valley and Diablo Range. Birds here included a White-tailed Kite on a nest atop a Monterey Pine, Red-shouldered Hawk, a soaring Swainson's Hawk, 8 Cedar Waxwings. Most interesting here was a flock of 9 Chipping Sparrows. I am not sure if these represent a flock of migrants (this is the right time for them to arrive) or a lingering winter flock. There were no other migrants present on the day so I kind of suspect they wintered. There are but two winter records for the county, those both being singletons, but they do occasionally winter in flocks in other places.
Just around the bend of Concord Ave was a flock of blackbirds containing approximately 50 male Tricolored Blackbirds.
Breeding species confirmed on the day: White-tailed Kite, Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Western Scrub-Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, American Crow, Common Raven, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Bushtit, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow.
Good luck,
Steve Glover
Dublin, CA
Spring Arrivals
Sun, 26 Mar 2000 19:04:16 -0800
From: Scott Hein
While birding Marin County with friends on Saturday, I saw my first Warbling Vireo and Wilson's Warblers of the Spring. I figured it would be good to see what was happening closer to home, so I made a short walk up Mitchell Canyon on Sunday afternoon. It was fairly quiet (from a birding, not a human standpoint), but I did manage to cross paths with my first East-Bay Warbling Vireo of the year. The cowbirds can't be far behind....
It look's like Spring is on it's way.
Scott Hein
Concord, CA