Northern Saw-whet Owls
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 08:20:03 -0700
From: Scott Restivo
Does anyone know if and where there are Northern Saw-whet Owls in the East Bay? Are they fairly common in the area? I read in Jean Richmond's book [Birding Northern California, out of print] about them maybe being in the Valle Vista region outside Moraga (Upper San Leandro Reservoir).
The other question I have is if (and where) there are Mountain Quail in this area? I suspect they are more likely in the sage/chaparral areas of higher elevations. Possibly along Del Puerto Canyon Road? Or Mt. Diablo? The closest places I have heard them being is Gates Canyon near Vacaville and in the Ventana Wilderness in the Chew's Ridge area.
Thank you for any responses.
Scott Restivo
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Re: Northern Saw-whet Owls
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 08:38:55 PDT
From: Mark Rauzon
I once saw a juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl on Bird Trail in Chabot Regional Park, off Redwood Road about 10 years ago. I reported to the Park office and they informed me that the owls may breed in Redwood Regional park. Good luck on this most elusive quest.
Mark Rauzon
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Re: Northern Saw-whet Owls
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 11:00:47 PDT
From: Jim Tietz
Hi Scott-
A few years ago during November, I led a small group of birdwatchers from Golden Gate Audubon Society on an owl prowl into Redwood Regional Park from Skyline Gate along the West Ridge Trail [later corrected to East Ridge Trail]. That night, in only about a mile, we encountered 10 to 15 saw-whets, 4 Great Horned Owls, 2 screech-owls, and 1 Barn Owl. I had heard a few saw-whets a week or two prior, but two months later I went out and did not hear any. I suspect that the 10 to 15 saw-whets were probably migrants.
In 1996, I worked for the Big Sur Ornithology Lab in Andrew Molera State Park which is along Hwy 1 where the Big Sur River flows into the ocean. On the East Molera Trail where it tops out on the ridge, I have encountered small covies of Mountain Quail in the oak and redwood swales. The park checklist lists them as fairly common year-round. I have also seen them a little further south on Cone Peak.
Good luck
Jim Tietz
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Redwood Regional Park on 20 April
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 11:50:37 -0700
From: Tom Condit
Friday, April 20, 2001
Redwood Regional Park, Oakland Hills
We took a late afternoon hike up the stream and Fern Trails from Redwood Gate. The most notable sight was a pair of California Quail at the north side of the Orchard meadow at about 4 PM. They weren't there later, but we heard quail calling from the hillside behind the bathrooms.
Two Dark-eyed Juncos were doing a sort of mating dance - hopping on the paved trail together, then a joint intertwined vertical flight; this was repeated several times.
A pair of Chestnut-backed Chickadees were acting very much as if they had a nest in the shrubs to the south of the little "cove" of lawn that dips in toward the bathrooms at orchard.
Two Common Ravens.
Not much else.
Tom Condit
Re: Golden-crowned Sparrows
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 11:51:50 -0700
From: Tom Condit
[Mary asked if Golden-crowned Sparrows are still around.] There were a pair still at Mitchell Canyon [in Mount Diablo State Park south of Clayton] Sunday afternoon.
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Mitchell Canyon on 22 April
Tue, 24 Apr 2001 13:43:31 -0700
From: Tom Condit
Mitchell Canyon, Mt Diablo State Park (south of Clayton)
22 April 2001
(As we were going up around noon on a wildflower walk, we met Lillian Fujii and a party with scopes coming down. I was going to wait till I saw her report, then post our handful of observations as a footnote, but ... Here we go.)
Singing birds:
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhees
Orange-crowned Warbler
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (heard, not seen)
Wrentit (heard, not seen)
Others:
both jays [Steller's Jay and Western Scrub-Jay]
Golden-crowned Sparrows (2)
Dark-eyed Juncos
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vultures
Cooper's Hawk
Black Phoebe
Bushtits
Tom Condit