Mystery hawk at Berkeley Meadow
Thu, 01 Feb 2001 19:45:51 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Today in the early afternoon, Denise Wight and I looked for the hawk I had seen with Karen DeMello on Sunday. There was a hawk of the same general size and coloring perched in the same tree. We studied it for some time with binoculars and scope and watched it fly.
This bird was quite definitely a young Red-tailed Hawk, similar to Sibley's illustration of the light-plumaged Western juvenile, though I think with somewhat more reddish brown plumage on the upper surface of wings.
The overall pattern was similar to what I had seen on Sunday, but there were some differences. This bird clearly had faint narrow bands on the entire underside of the tail, though a bit darker near the end of the tail. What I saw on Sunday seemed to be a white undertail with just a darker band at the end.
Although there were a few such differences, they all could be explained away by poor lighting or poor observing, and I did not have a scope on Sunday. So, I'd have to say that I feel this may be a different bird, but that it's certainly possible that it is the same bird.
What caught my attention on Sunday was its behavior - perching on the very top small twigs of a tree, flying with steady flapping except when banking turns, and hunting by hovering like a kestrel. The bird today perched in the same tree, but a little farther down on somewhat larger branches. It flew with a typical redtail flap-flap-flap-glide, and it did not hover. However, it clearly was a quite young bird still learning, because it tended to land on branches a bit too small and have trouble getting its balance. Once it landed on the power line and spent half a minute teetering and flapping before finally getting settled. Hence, I don't find it hard to believe that its behavior is changing rapidly as it learns what works best for it.
Today's bird, by the way, had a definite light patch on the upper surface at the base of the tail, appearing in some light and at some angles much like the diagnostic rump patch of a Northern Harrier.
Steve Hayashi also saw a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (probably this same bird) in this spot on Tuesday, making it seem likely that this bird could have been around that spot since Sunday.
Perhaps there was never a mystery at all.
After watching the hawk, Denise and I made a brief stop at Point Emery, where three Black Oystercatchers were working the waterline on the south side of the spit. One came up for very close views.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Original Message Subject Index
3 Peregrine Falcons
Fri, 2 Feb 2001 21:34:52 PST
From: Denise Wight
Hi EBBirders,
Yesterday, February 1st, as I was stepping out my office at 5900 Hollis Street in Emeryville at lunchtime, there were 3 Peregrine Falcons flying over, about 100 feet up. Two flew off, and one started circling. Soon it was joined by a returning Peregrine, and the pair continued to circle, low over the parking lot long enough for me to pull some of my co-workers (non-birders, of course) out to view these birds.
Today at Aquatic Park there was a Yellow Warbler near the south pond.
Denise Wight
Martinez, CA
Possible very rare bird in Marin
Sat, 03 Feb 2001 08:52:53 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Hi EBbirders,
Out of our area but nearby and of possible interest to those who like to chase rare birds is a possible Greater Sandplover at Stinson Beach. This species is found in central Asia, so it would be far out of its expected range. There is considerable debate about whether the bird may be "only" a Mongolian Plover.
For more information, see
and the North Bay Birds e-mail list:
Further discussion of the bird should be directed to that list.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Lewis' Woodpecker
Sun, 4 Feb 2001 19:09:04 -0800
From: Bob Brandriff
At least one Lewis' Woodpecker continued this morning, February 4, in Round Valley Regional Park (eastern Contra Costa County) at the previously described location.
Bob Brandriff
Great-tailed Grackle in Oakland (Alameda
County)
Mon, 05 Feb 2001 10:55:06 -0800
From: Mike Feighner
East Bay Birders:
Just got the following e-mail from Mark Miller in Oregon who was down here to see the "Seadrift" sandplover in Marin County this past week-end. Has anyone else heard or known about a Great-tailed Grackle hanging around Oakland International Airport in Alameda County?
Mark Miller's message:
Yesterday afternoon (February 4), I saw a Great-tailed Grackle singing from atop a light pole in the rental return lot at Oakland International. It eventually flew over to terminal 1 and sat on the roof. Has this bird been around a while?
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda
Hooded Warbler
Mon, 5 Feb 2001 22:20:25 PST
From: Steve Glover
Hello all,
Yesterday I got a call from Jimm Edgar that he got a report of a male Hooded Warbler in Rossmoor, a retirement community near Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County. Apparently the bird was first found January 15 by Jim Jardine. Several residents have seen it in the past few days and I was able to see it briefly this morning. Beautiful bird.
This is the first winter record for the county and about the sixth overall. All the others were spring/summer from the Jewel Lake area of Tilden Regional Park in the Berkeley Hills. As you may know, Rossmoor is a gated community and I don't really know anyone in there so I don't really have a way to get anyone in there. If you do know someone who can get you in there let me know and I will give you directions to get there.
Good birding,
Steve Glover
Dublin