Corvids in Berkeley
Thu, 06 Apr 2000 11:26:20 -0700
From: Tom Condit
Last year on this list we had an extensive discussion about the proliferation of Steller's Jays in the Berkeley flatlands. This winter I had no Steller's Jays at my place (2200 block of McGee Ave) except one who dove into a redwood tree in October. There have also been fewer Western Scrub-Jays than last year, and it's my perception that there are many more American Crows. (I may be wrong about this, because I haven't been keeping counts.)
Does this jibe with other people's observations? Are crows effective niche competitors with jays?
Tom Condit
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject Index
Re: Corvids in Berkeley
Thu, 6 Apr 2000 12:17:50 -0700
From: Don Lewis
In Lafayette, my yard has had a continuing presence of Steller's Jays all winter, although perhaps down to 4 or 6, rather than the perhaps dozen that were around last summer. Western Scrub-Jays are definitely down although not absent.
There has been a crow colony a couple blocks away for several years and it is expanding. This winter I have seen, as opposed to hearing only, crows every day and there is an active nest now in a pine tree above my driveway.
My assumption is that more corvids results in less little birds. Is that indeed the case?
Don Lewis
Lafayette, CA
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Corvids everywhere
Thu, 06 Apr 2000 14:27:42 +0000
From: Lisa Owens-Viani
Over the last few years, a rather large population of crows has come to inhabit my neighborhood as well (Richmond / El Cerrito border, just at foot of hills), and it seems to be on the increase. I only rarely have Steller's Jayes (you're all quite lucky!), but still have many scrub-jays.
Lisa Viani
Original Message Subject Index
Shoreline signs of spring
Fri, 07 Apr 2000 16:27:22 -0700
From: Tom Condit
Okay, time to get down to the shoreline if you want to see the last of our shorebird friends.
Hayward Regional Shoreline, Friday, 7 April 2000
Birds in full or partial breeding plumage:
Horned Grebes
American Avocets
Black-bellied Plovers
Short-billed Dowitchers
Long-billed Dowitcher
Dunlins
Western Sandpipers
Ruddy Ducks
Birds seen only solitary or in pairs:
Canada Geese
Mallards
American Wigeons
House Finches
Birds singing:
Red-winged Blackbirds (& gorgeous epaulet displays)
Brewer's Blackbirds
Song Sparrows
Marsh Wrens
plus Kildeer making more noise than seemed to explained by warning calls
Birds carrying nesting material:
Barn Swallows (to under the bridge)
White-crowned Sparrow
It was low tide, so I couldn't see more than this, but it was plenty.
Tom Condit
On the bay near Richmond Harbor
Fri, 7 Apr 2000 17:29:43 PDT
From: Mark Rauzon
Tom inspires me to share my day. A small boat ride out of the Richmond harbor revealed a pair of Harlequin Ducks, nice male, visible from the Richmond ferry dock. A bit further out, was a dead gray whale, lots of Clark's Grebes in this area, one Red-throated Loon and plenty of scaup and scoters. On the outer shore of the Brooks' Island jetty were 8 Surfbirds and a Whimbrel.
Mark Rauzon
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
Fri, 7 Apr 2000 17:58:55 -0700
From: Emilie Strauss
From Adam Winer's Birdbox transcription:
Today, April 6th, a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel was on the bay near Point Isabel. From eastbound I-80, take the Central Avenue exit west. After the overpass, turn right on Rydin Road. Park at its end, before the road doglegs to the left. Walk a half mile down the trail along the bay, staying to the east [be sure to take the east-most part of the path past where you will end up in the Point Isabel dog Park, rather than on the longer trail that goes out to Richmond]. The storm-petrel was by a large "Shore Patrol" sign [with various pictures of shorebirds on it; just west of the trail] [and the bird was in the water]. It was a about 20 meters south of the large breakwater. (Emilie Strauss)
(Sorry for the late posting). I returned to look for the bird at about 7 PM April 6th. The tide was out by then, and the bird was floating in a small pool about 30 meters west of the "Shore Patrol" sign. There were some footprints in the mud going out to the spot where I first saw the bird, so I presume somebody tried to rescue it and flushed it farther out into the bay.
I took a number of pictures of the bird. It was obviously ill or starving and allowed me to get very close to it (within 1.5 meters).
Surfbirds
Sat, 8 Apr 2000 13:41:26 -0700
From: Emilie Strauss
There were 7 Surfbirds in alternate plumage, 30 Black Turnstones, and 2 Ruddy Turnstones seen at very low tide today at approximately 9 AM about 200 meters north of Point Emery [near foot of Ashby Ave] foraging in a patch of rocks.
Caspian Terns
Sat, 08 Apr 2000 22:35:20 -0700
From: Courtenay Peddle
Hello folks,
On Friday at Mitigation Marsh, Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline, Oakland, I saw my first Caspian Terns of the season, a pair roosting with the gulls beside the pond nearest the airport.
Good birding!
Courtenay Peddle