Brant and Great-tailed Grackle at Iron House
Sun, 21 May 2000 12:25:51 -0700
From: John Luther
This morning there were 15 Brant in the flooded area by the picnic tables at Iron House Sanitary District in eastern Contra Costa County near Oakley. Take Vintage Parkway left when going east on Hwy 4 and then turn right onto Walnut Meadows and left on Jordan Ln. This area was well described in a previous message by Steve Glover, who found Brant in the area yesterday. The flooded field is reached by walking from the end of Jordan Ln about 0.75 mile on the paved trail [Big Break Regional Trail]. The 15 Brant were in the flooded area today and not out on the open water where Steve reported 8 yesterday. No ibis were present today.
As I was walking back to my car, a male Great-tailed Grackle flew over my head. The grackle flew from the marsh area and landed on the edge of the east most sewage pond.
John Luther
Oakland
5 Brants at Iron House, 3 Great-tailed Grackles at
McNabney Marsh
Sun, 21 May 2000 17:18:09 -0700
From: Calvin Lou
This morning at McNabney Marsh, I saw 3 Great-tailed Grackles - two males and one female. The pair of birds were on the small island of grass seen between the bend,if you stand between the the second and third of the four yellow arrow signs. These "islands" are about 50 yards away. The lone male Great-tailed Grackle was seen further back in the marsh in the tules, to the right.
At 11:30 AM, there were 5 Brants, which flew into the flooded area by the picnic tables at Iron House Sanitary District in eastern Contra Costa County near Oakley. Also, there were calling Black Rails, two Green Herons, and American Bittern.
Calvin Lou
Unusual Ash-throated Flycatcher
Sun, 21 May 2000 18:46:04 -0700
From: Bob Brandriff
While atlasing between Briones and San Pablo Reservoirs this morning I saw a dark bird which I did not recognize. At first I thought it was a blackbird of some sort since there were many Red-winged Blackbirds around; as it flew up into a tree it showed a dingy gray belly and flycatcher-shaped bill; dirty Black Phoebe? Then a normally-plumaged Ash-throated Flycatcher flew in next to it and I realized that is what it was: same size, shape, posture, etc. I was able to confirm rufous on the edges of the primaries on this otherwise very dark bird. It investigated a possible nest hole and then both birds flew off. I refound it later in the morning by itself and was able to see a few more details: dark gray upper parts and head, dingy gray belly contrasting with black undertail coverts and black breast; tail all dark above and below. Scapulars and upper wing coverts had pale narrow fringes which might indicate a juvenile bird, although the tail feathers seemed fully grown and the all black bill showed no gape flanges that I could see; I don't recall any wingbars although I didn't note it at the time. It was making an incessant abbreviated single note Ash-throated Flycatcher call.
The bird was close to the Bear Creek Trail at the base of the Briones Dam Spillway (EBMUD trail permit required). If anyone is interested in looking for it, I'll be glad to provide more precise description of the two places I saw it. A couple of weeks ago I saw a Dark-eyed Junco with a white head not too far from this same location. Best breeding confirmation of the day was a female Wood Duck with six chicks.
Good birding!
Bob Brandriff
Berkeley, CA
Re: Unusual Ash-throated Flycatcher
Sun, 21 May 2000 19:22:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peter Rauch
Bob Brandriff wrote:
While atlasing between Briones and San Pablo Reservoirs this morning I saw a [Ash-throated Flycatcher]... .... It investigated a possible nest hole and then both birds flew off.
Speaking of this, Dave Zimmerman, Tilden Nature Area naturalist, led three of us on a walk to examine his bluebird nestbox line on the top of the ridge just north of Wildcat Peak.
A nesting pair of western bluebirds were bringing food to the nestlings, and perching intermittently on a low Baccharis bush in front of the nest box. We also saw a lark sparrow come to the bush. While the male bluebird was sitting on the bush, without the sparrow there, an ash-throated flycatcher landed on the bush and proceeded to hop closer to the bluebird. It got to within 10 inches of the bluebird, seeming to look intently at the bluebird, when the lark sparrow flew up to the bush and chased the flycatcher away for 50 yards or so that I could see.
All this we were able to see from less than 15 feet distant, nicely lit in the mid-afternoon (very hot!) sun today.
Peter
Original Message Subject Index
Gray Flycatcher
Sun, 21 May 2000 19:48:01 -0700
From: Maury Stern
While atlasing at Round Valley [Regional Park, near Brentwood] today, I saw a Gray Flycatcher in the easternmost part of the park along High Creek in the blue oak forest at about 500 feet elevation.
Leona Heights Regional Open Space, Oakland
Sun, 21 May 2000 22:06:28 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Leona Heights was very birdy this morning, with lots of birds singing, though it took some effort to get good looks at very many of them. Rusty Scalf took his Golden Gate Audubon Society walk all the way up the canyon to Merritt College, and there was still a lot of singing on the way down, as temperature soared toward 90 in late morning.
This is a lovely little park that doesn't get as much attention as it should from birders. From Hwy 580 a short ways north of the Oakland Zoo, take Keller Ave up the hill, turn left on Campus Dr, and almost immediately right on Canyon Oaks Dr, which is just a short entrance to the parking lot for a condominium complex. However, take a left and go to the end, and you will find on the left the parking lot for the open space. There are no signs about this park anywhere except right at the entrance. The walk all the way up the canyon to Merritt College is about 1.5 miles (one way) with a gradual climb of almost 500 feet. You pass through shady riparian woods along a stream that currently is running strongly with lovely clear water, but there also are hillsides of grass and chaparral, so you get a nice variety of birds. This stream, by the way, is the Rifle Range Branch of Arroyo Viejo, which flows ultimately into Damon Slough near Arrowhead Marsh.
Here's the group's list for the morning as best I could capture it:
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 flying over, headed east
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
California Quail - heard only
Rock Dove
Band-tailed Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird - 1 on nest in parking lot, others on trail
Allen's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hutton's Vireo - heard only
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven - 1 heard
Barn Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Swainson's Thrush - heard calling and singing many places
American Robin
Wrentit
California Thrasher - heard only, near top of canyon
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler - heard only
Wilson's Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch - nest with 4 babies in parking shelter near entrance
American Goldfinch
Rusty says that in early morning the canyon is just full of the songs of Swainson's Thrushes. He had expected to find Lazuli Bunting and Bullock's Orioles, but we didn't see or hear either of them.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
White-faced Ibis
Mon, 22 May 2000 16:11:08 -0700
From: Sheila Junge
Fourteen White-faced Ibis were seen today at Hayward Regional Shoreline. Peter Dramer and I saw them around 10:30 AM. They were flying south over the marsh and appeared to be headed in the general direction of Coyote Hills Regional Park.
Sheila Junge
Hayward, CA
White-throated Sparrow
Mon, 22 May 2000 17:37:36 -0700
From: Becca Freed
Saturday and Sunday there was a White-throated Sparrow hanging around my central Berkeley backyard. He didn't leave even when I was within 10 feet of him, and talking.
I noticed lots of birds opening and closing their beaks without making any sound over the weekend. Has anyone else noticed that? Is it related to the heat?
Becca Freed
Berkeley CA
Swainson's Thrush
Mon, 22 May 2000 19:51:59 -0700
From: Emilie Strauss
I have been trying hard to confirm Swainson's Thrush in my Breeding Bird Atlas block. If anybody sees any nesting activity for this species this spring, could you post a notice to this list? I just spoke to another atlasser who would also be interested in receiving this information. I seem to be unlucky in my attempts to cover Swainson's Thrush habitat at the right time of the season.
Thank you.
Lawrence's Goldfinch confirmation in Pinole
Mon, 22 May 2000 23:03:07 -0700
From: Lillian Fujii
Last Saturday, Denise Wight, Steve Hayashi and I confirmed Lawrence's Goldfinch nesting in our Pinole breeding bird block. Denise first spotted a male feeding a fledgling and later, a female on a nest. There were at least two other pairs and a flyover flock of 6. We think there were a lot more in territory we did not cover. We also had a Pacific-slope Flycatcher nest with young. The nest was on the ground in pine needles. Sorry for the late message. I attempted a message earlier but must have done something wrong.
Lillian Fujii