Hooded Orioles at UC Botanical Garden
Sat, 02 Jun 2001 16:38:34 -0700
From: Tom Condit
Since Saturday is our morning to sleep in, Marsha and I missed the 8 AM bird walk at UC Botanical Garden (east of UC campus in Berkeley) this morning and didn't find the posted list. Our understanding is that about 30 species were seen.
We did (thanks to guidance) get to see the pair of Hooded Orioles who are nesting in the Mexican Fan Palm just left of the entrance to the tropical plants hothouse. These are a first-spring male and a female so no hoods, and all yellow and green. Very, very pretty, though. (Although hooded orioles have been seen at UCBG before, this may be the first nesting.)
We also saw a spectacular singing male Purple Finch in the trees near the hothouse, and Lesser Goldfinches. Report is that earlier there were singing Solitary Vireos, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson's Warblers.
As usual, lots of hummingbirds, both Anna's and Selasphorus.
A Red-tailed Hawk and a kettle of four Turkey Vultures overhead.
Tom Condit
Hooded Orioles in Kensington too
Sat, 2 Jun 2001 20:30:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Peter Rauch
On May 31, 2001, Friday, on Ardmore Road, Kensington CA, a female and a young (stubby tail and bill) Hooded Oriole together were briefly visiting at Hedera ivy (exploiting the last of the berries still hanging on the vines) [female feeding]; on Feijoa guava (flush with flower petals/nectar, on which the robins are also feasting) [female feeding, on petals or nectar?; young perched/hopping]; and the female on Abutilon, flower-piercing nectar feeding.
The female was very mobile, not sitting still for more than a moment except on the Abutilon. And, it seemed to prefer to go "inside" (under the canopy) of the feeding stations (except at the Abutilon) making it difficult to observe/follow, unlike the robins which are very prominent on the outside of the canopy as well.
No very near fan palms here; the nearest ones I know of are some several hundred yards downhill (a date-like palm is across the street; do Hooded Orioles nest in date-/Canary I-like, i.e., pinnate-leaved, palms?).
Peter
And Hooded Orioles in Fremont
Sat, 02 Jun 2001 20:37:08 -0700
From: Mary
A pair of Hooded Orioles regularly visits my backyard hummingbird feeder in Fremont. They nest in a neighbor's fan palm.
I've got some great photos, around here somewhere, which I'll scan and post on the web (and share the URL) this week.
Mary
And Hooded Orioles in Berkeley
Sun, 03 Jun 2001 06:39:32 -0700
From: Kay Loughman
In the last week I've seen briefly both male and female Hooded Orioles in my yard. A first here. Given the time of year, and several sightings of a species that is uncommon enough to be worthy of mention, is this likely to be an irruption or dispersal of young birds?
Kay Loughman
Berkeley, above the Claremont Hotel
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject Index
Northern Shoveler pair with young at Coyote
Hills
Sun, 3 Jun 2001 08:14:52 PDT
From: Bill Scoggins
Hello East Bay Birders,
Saturday at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, the bird of the day was a Northern Shoveler pair with four ducklings in tow. They were in the large pond nearest the visitor center. Go north on Bay View Trail from the Visitor Center about 100 yards to the pond (near the Nike Trail intersection.)
Happy birding,
Bill Scoggins
Castro Valley, CA
http://members.aol.com/coyotehrp
http://members.aol.com/ohloneaudubon
Date: 2 June 2001
Location: Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont, CA, Alameda County; Visitor Ctr, North & Main Marsh.Weather: 58-68 degrees, clearing, windy 5-10 mph
Leader: Bill Scoggins for Ohlone Audubon SocietyPied-billed Grebe - 3
American White Pelican - 22 feeding
Ruddy Duck - 2 males
Canada Goose - 22
American Widgeon
Green-winged Teal
Mallard - 19 + 2 hens with young
Northern Pintail - pair courting
Cinnamon Teal - 2
Northern Shoveler pair with 4 young
Canvasback
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead - 1 male in north marsh
Snowy Egret - 7
Great Blue Heron - 1
Great Egret - 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 5
Turkey Vulture - 3
White-tailed Kite - 3, 1 harrassing Red-tailed Hawk pair
Red-tailed Hawk - pair nesting at Hoot Hollow
California Quail - Pair with 4 young
Willet - 5
Greater Yellowlegs - 7
Black-necked Stilt - 3
American Avocet - 8
Common Moorhen - 4
American Coot - 1+ pair building nest
gull species - 1Forster's Tern - 2 feeding and resting in Main Marsh; pair seen copulating at this location on 23 May 2001; Dr. Cogswell says they may be nesting here and asked us to watch for nesting activity.
Mourning Dove - 4 + 2 by voice
Great Horned Owl - nesting with 2 or 3 fluffy owlets in nest at Hoot Hollow in large conifer next to Glider Trail.
Anna's Hummingbird - 2
Allen's Hummingbird - 2 males
Nuttall's Woodpecker - female
Black Phoebe - 1
Western Scrub Jay - 3
American Crow - 1
Common Raven - 1
American Robin - 1
Northern Mockingbird - on nest while mate was singing in same large oak at North Marsh
California Thrasher - 1
European Starling - 17
Marsh Wren - 5 seen + 17 by voice, two active nests
Bewick's Wren - 2 singing
Bushtit - 3
Tree Swallow - 27 with 4 active nest boxes on DUST Trail
Barn Swallow - 4
Cliff Swallow - 10+
American Goldfinch - 1
Lesser Goldfinch - 14
House Finch - 14
Common Yellowthroat - 1 male + 9 by voice
Song Sparrow - 6 + 6 by voice
California Towhee - 7
Bullock's Oriole - 4
Red-winged Blackbird - 45+
Brewer's Blackbird - 9
Brown-headed Cowbird - 2Monarch butterfly - 5
Cabbage White - 15
Lorquin's Admiral - 1
Mylitta Crescent - 6
Anise Swallowtail - 1Tree frog - 1 by voice
Bull frog - 2 by voice