White-throated Sparrow(s) in Lafayette
Tue, 09 Jan 2001 12:06:28 PST
From: Jim Tietz
Hi-
On January 5th, I reported a White-throated Sparrow from 838 Las Trampas Rd. On the 7th, I saw it or another about a quarter-mile away down a hill at 732 Las Trampas, and then today there was one back up the hill at 850. So there's either 1 or 2 White-throated Sparrows in the area.
Jim Tietz
American Redstart
Tue, 9 Jan 2001 14:30:49 -0800
From: John Luther
Hi All,
On Monday January 8, in the late afternoon after 4 PM, the American Redstart found by Rusty Scalf on the Oakland Christmas count was still in Alameda on Bay Farm Island by the tennis courts on Mecartney Road just northwest of Island Drive. Also present was a Nashville Warbler, Townsend's Warbler and Orange-crowned Warbler along with many Yellow-rumped Warblers, Bushtits and at least one Chestnut-backed Chickadee.
John Luther
Oakland
Nimitz Way in Tilden Regional Park
Thu, 11 Jan 2001 23:00:31 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
This morning, Alan Kaplan's East Bay Regional Parks birdwalk in Tilden Regional Park fit nicely into about the only 2-hour window of relatively dry weather all day. We walked from Inspiration Point on Wildcat Canyon Rd northward about 1.5 mile on Nimitz Way (the paved trail on the ridgetop).
With the cold, overcast, windy weather, there weren't many birds active, though we did see lots of Golden-crowned Sparrows foraging at trailside. Highlight of the morning was a California Thrasher seen singing on top of a bush near the 1.0 mile marker. We also saw 3 Red-tailed Hawks and some Turkey Vultures soaring despite the lack of sun, and a few Northern Flickers. There were quite a few American Robins around, and the thrasher was mostly doing bits of robin repertoire.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
White-winged Scoters and Black Oystercatchers
Fri, 12 Jan 2001 20:51:46 PST
From: Denise Wight
Hi EB Birders,
Today there were 2 White-winged Scoters flying by the Emeryville Marina. A pair of Black Oystercatchers have been visiting the rocks around Point Emery Park for at least the last week. All sighting are between 1 and 2 PM only (my lunch hour). Lots of other great shorebirds, ducks, etc., too. This area is truly worth exploring after this recent storm.
Denise Wight
Martinez, CA
Editor's Note: Point Emery is a small point (with a small parking lot) extending into the bay from the frontage road near the Berkeley/Emeryville border, just south of the foot of Ashby Ave. --Larry
Bay Farm Island American Redstart
Fri, 12 Jan 2001 21:27:29 -0800
From: Dave Quady
Hello all,
Today, Friday January 12, the adult male American Redstart found by Rusty Scalf on the Oakland Christmas Bird Count was still on Bay Farm Island in Alameda. I found it about 3:15 PM in a clump of deciduous trees on the east side of the tennis courts (near the baseball diamond's not-so-grandstand) located on McCartney Road just northwest of Island Drive.
I didn't find the Nashville Warbler and Orange-crowned Warbler John Luther reported on Friday. This afternoon, trees around the tennis courts harbored, besides the redstart, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, at least three Golden-crowned Kinglets, two Red-breasted Nuthatches, a score or more Yellow-rumped Warblers, the odd Dark-eyed Junco, and a few House Finches and American Goldfinches. A small flock of Bushtits flew across McCartney Drive south of the tennis courts.
Dave Quady
Berkeley
Long-eared Owl at Lafayette Reservoir
Sat, 13 Jan 2001 11:21:09 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I'm forwarding this message from Maury Stern, who was having trouble getting his e-mail program to send plain text. --Larry
Long-eared owl at Lafayette Reservoir
Sat, 13 Jan 2001 11:14:25 -0800
From: Maury SternYesterday at 12:30 at Lafayette Reservoir, there was a Long-eared Owl in a Valley Oak surrounded by Live Oaks just before marker 7 and mile-post 1.0 and between the paved path and the water. This is about one-third of the way around on the west side of the reservoir. I would never have seen the bird but a noisy Common Raven flew in to the spot and kept croaking loudly; I wondered why and finally saw the owl. After the raven was joined by a second one and they harassed the owl mercilessly, the owl flew into a deeper part of the woods.
Today, the Bald Eagle was hanging around at least until 11:00.
Maury Stern
Posted to EBbird by Larry Tunstall
Coyote Hills
Sat, 13 Jan 2001 19:47:29 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Marsha Feinland and I went out to Coyote Hills Regional Park [in Fremont] for a mid-day walk today. The highlight was the immature Bald Eagle which has been hanging around the area of the entrance kiosk for the past few weeks. One of the rangers says it's three years old or thereabouts, but the best we can say is that it's definitely a Bald Eagle, and definitely not in full adult plumage yet.
Birds seen:
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelicans
Double-crested Cormorants
Great Blue Herons
Snowy Egrets
Great Egrets
Canada Geese
Green-winged Teal
Mallards
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shovelers
American Wigeons
Canvasbacks
Ruddy Ducks
Turkey Vultures
Black-shouldered Kites
Bald Eagle
Northern Harriers
Red-tailed Hawk
Common Moorhen
American Coots
Lesser Yellowlegs
Long-billed Curlew
Least Sandpipers
sandpiper sp.
Ring-billed Gull
gull sp.
Black Phoebe
Say's Phoebe
Violet-green Swallows
Barn Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadees
Bushtits
Ruby-crowned Kinglets
Hermit Thrush
American Robins
Northern Mockingbird
California Towhee
Song Sparrows
Golden-crowned Sparrows
White-crowned Sparrows
House Finches
Eurasian Starlings
Western Meadowlarks
Plus numerous mystery birds and noises that sounded a little like California Quail, but not enough to be sure.
Oh, yeah ... There is a rumour of Ruff in the wet meadows south of the entrance kiosk.
Tom Condit