Pileated Woodpecker in Oakland
Mon, 12 Jun 2000 19:06:09 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Sylvia Sikora asked me to pass along the following message.
I've waited 12 years for this one. I was at the one window in the house at the absolutely right moment when a gorgeous male Pileated Woodpecker flew into the top of one of our deodar cedars. He called several times. I now know that what I've heard before this spring, and assumed was either a Northern Flicker or a Cooper's Hawk, was this bird. The tree seems to be bleeding from, perhaps, previous visits to feed. He was unmistakable. I've only once before seen a Pileated nearby, and that was at least 15 years ago in Redwood Regional Park. This sighting was at the intersection of Skyline Blvd & Castle Dr, a half-block from Moon Gate in Redwood Regional Park. I've seen many nest holes in park trees that appear to be large enough and oval enough to be Pileated's.Years ago, Helen Greene wanted me to give her as much info as possible about my earlier sighting as she was documenting the presence of Pileateds in the East Bay. Please let me know if anyone wants details of this sighting.
I see that John Luther has, of course, got a Pileated on his yard list, but this is only the second I've seen in about 20 years in Montclair, the first being in Redwood Park. What is their East Bay status?
Sylvia Sykora
Posted to EBbird by Larry Tunstall
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Hayward Shoreline
Mon, 12 Jun 2000 22:41:17 PDT
From: Bob Richmond
Seen today at the shoreline -
Black Skimmer - only 2 birds (male and female) seen, not the 8 birds seen last week.
Arctic Tern - 1 seen on a 2-egg nest, hybridizing with a Forster's Tern.
Eared Grebe - many seen including 3 young birds.
American Wigeon - 1 female with 3 ducklings.
Good birding
Bob Richmond
Hooded Orioles in yard
Wed, 14 Jun 2000 20:42:29 -0700
From: Debbi Brusco
It appears that perhaps the Hooded Oriole has indeed decided to take up residence in the neighborhood. I heard a call coming from a tree on the side of my house, and this time it looked like a female. After I finished watering I went to the back yard and heard the call coming from a palm a couple of houses up the street. I noticed two birds in the palm, and one flew back into the tree at the side of my house, then they both called to each other.
Debbi Brusco
Hermosa Terrace, Hayward
Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Hills
Thu, 15 Jun 2000 22:15:33 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
The participants in Alan Kaplan's East Bay Regional Park District birdwalk on Tilden Regional Park's Tilden Gorge Trail this morning were grateful for the unexpectedly cool weather. It was a lovely morning, and there were a lot of insects and birds out enjoying it.
There were a lot of Swainson's Thrushes singing and calling, and three different flycatchers gave us good looks and/or listens.
Here's what I caught of the group's observations:
Double-crested Cormorant (flyover)
Great Blue Heron (flyover)
Turkey Vulture (flyover)
Band-tailed Pigeon (flyover)
Allen's Hummingbird
Olive-sided flycatcher (heard only)
Western Wood-Pewee
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo (heard only)
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Wrentit (heard only)
Wilson's Warbler
Spotted Towhee (heard only)
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
Black-headed Grosbeak
Brown-headed Cowbird
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Nesting Wood Ducks on Quimby Island
Fri, 16 Jun 2000 12:16:17 -0700
From: Tom Condit
I talked last night at a party with a member of a duck club out on Quimby Island in the Delta. He says he made his routine round of their Wood Duck nesting boxes earlier this week and there were still four hens on eggs. He thinks these are second clutches, but isn't sure.
They've planted several hundred new willows this year to increase Wood Duck habitat, which should result in an increase in sightings of this species in the Delta as a whole.
Editor's Note: Quimby Island is east across Holland Cut and Sheep Slough from the north end of Holland Tract Rd. It is not accessible by road.
RFI: Common Poorwill in Berkeley / Oakland
Sat, 17 Jun 2000 12:00:12 -0700
From: Jennifer Rycenga
Dear East-Bay Birders:
I've tried a couple of times last year and this year to see Common Poorwill at Tilden Regional Park, along the Big Springs Trail, as remarked upon in Jean Richmond's book Birding Northern California. But I have failed six times in a row now! So I thought I would enquire of this list if there are any dependable Common Poorwill spots in the Berkeley/Oakland hills at this time, and, additionally, if this spot in Tilden has "run dry" of Poorwills since the edition of the Richmond (1985) that I have. Thanks.
Jennifer Rycenga
San Francisco
Pileated again!
Sat, 17 Jun 2000 15:02:15 -0700
From: Martha Lowe
Hi,
A Pileated Woodpecker was sighted last Sunday on a telephone pole (!) on Wilshire Blvd in Oakland. This location is in the hills just below the Mormon Temple. What's up with these birds!!??
Martha
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