Weekend shorebirds
Tue, 21 Aug 2001 12:33:53 -0700
From: Vijay Ramachandran
Hi.
It is thrilling to see the great spectacle of fall migration unfolding.
Saturday morning, from the trail above the Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza, I saw the following birds of interest on and around the first dike (?) on the northwest side of Hwy 84:
2 Black Skimmers, and a juvenille
Hundreds of Wilson's Phalaropes
One possible juvenille Red-necked Phalarope
There are many many shorebirds in this area. Would someone know if it is legal to get onto the dirt path which runs along the northern end of Hwy 84?
In Hayward, in the marsh to the north of the western end of Winston Ave, I saw the following shorebirds of interest:
Hundreds of Red Knots, many of them moulting, and with reddish bellies
Snowy Plovers
Semipalmated Plovers
Least Sandpipers
Black-bellied Plovers
Marbled Godwits
Good birding,
Vijay
White-tailed Kites in Berkeley Hills
Thu, 23 Aug 2001 20:17:22 PDT
From: Collin Murphy
Dear Birders,
Steve Beckendorf tells me that two recently-fledged White-tailed Kites are practicing flying around their nest site in the 600 block of Vistamont in the Berkeley Hills. The parents are apparently still in the vicinity. Happy viewing,
Collin Murphy
Birds this week
Thu, 23 Aug 2001 21:17:43 PDT
From Brian Fitch
Camp is winding down just as migration is picking up....
On Monday we saw the adult kites mentioned earlier, soaring over the large meadow near the pony rides in Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley Hills). At the bathroom at the Nature Center - Little Farm parking area, a mixed Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Bushtit flock also contained singles of Cassin's Vireo and Townsend's Warbler.
Tuesday morning, several Brandt's Cormorants flew by the tip of the Albany peninsula [Albany Bulb, foot of Buchanan St], and the Long-tailed Duck and 2 or 3 Wandering Tattlers also continued.
Today at the Berkeley Marina, we found an immature Green Heron on the southeasternmost house boat, a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers (about 10) on the mud east of the sailing center, and a Pacific-slope Flycatcher and Red-breasted Nuthatch in César Chávez Park trees.
Brian Fitch
Hayward Shoreline
Thu, 23 Aug 2001 22:22:10 PDT
From: Bob Richmond
Today at Hayward Regional Shoreline -
Eared Grebes with small young, including 2 riding on the back of adults. They were in an area off limits to the public.
Willow Flycatcher - 1 at the Winton Ave parking area.
Merlin - 1 was early and also near the Winton Ave parking area.
Surfbirds - 8 at Frank's Dump West. (This pond is just south of the mouth of Sulfur Creek. Best reached from Winton Ave. Best time is at or just before high tide.)
Lesser Yellowlegs - 2 at Frank's Dump West.
Peregrine Falcon - 2 were after shorebirds in Frank's Dump West. One got what was probably a Western Sandpiper.
Least Tern - none were seen today
Sanderling - several
Snowy Plover - several
Red Knot - hundreds
Good birding
Bob
Black-throated Gray Warbler near Jewel Lake
Fri, 24 Aug 2001 12:56:09 -0700
From: Mike Ezekiel
Dear Birders,
Sorry this is a little late - I took a short evening stroll at Jewel Lake in Tilden Regional Park Nature Area (Berkeley Hills) on Tuesday past [21 August] - 6:30 PM on - and there were very few birds about as the sun was just leaving the tops of most of the trees and the critters were settling in.
About all I saw were Bushtits, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, several bright Yellow Warblish streaks, and one gorgeous Wrentit, But, I did see a beautiful Black-throated Gray Warbler at the intersection of the first trail coming down from the right just beyond the Interpretive Center with the Jewel Lake trail.
I don't know their frequency at Jewel Lake - is this a rare-ish sighting or just to be expected this time of the year?
Mike Ezekiel
Oakland
Friday at Tilden Regional Park
Fri, 24 Aug 2001 16:56:38 PDT
From: Brian Fitch
Near the summit of Vollmer Peak [in Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Hills] today, we had a nice flock of locals, dispersers and migrants. Highlights:
Acorn Woodpecker - the first I've seen in Tilden/Wildcat Parks
Willow Flycatcher
Winter Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Hermit Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
The sightings were all of individuals. Vollmer Peak is above the intersection of South Park and Grizzly Peak [accessed from the parking lot by the Steam Train].
Brian Fitch