Selasphorus hummingbirds at UC Botanical Garden
Thu, 15 Nov 2001 16:03:49 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Selasphorus hummingbirds persist at the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley, as they have throughout the summer and fall. Today at the Mesoamerican Hill they were present, calling to each other all over the place, but mostly invisible except for rapid dartings between plants. The only one I got a really good look at had an all-green back. There was one two weeks ago with an all-red back and head.
I think they're keeping a low profile because if they feed too high up they're subject to attack from Anna's Hummingbirds, who are extremely territorial with their nesting season beginning.
Also present:
Hermit Thrushes
Spotted Towhee
Red-tailed Hawk
Bushtits
Dark-eyed Juncos
Hutton's Vireo
"Red-shafted" Northern Flicker
Steller's Jays
Western Scrub-Jay
Tom Condit
Halloween at Sunol Regional Wilderness
Thu, 15 Nov 2001 16:07:31 -0800
From: Tom Condit
Here are some belated notes on a Halloween visit to Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol with a second-grade field trip (hence, no binoculars).
Acorn Woodpeckers seen in fewer number than hoped, but enough. They have granaries right by the park entrance.
Yellow-billed Magpies not seen at all, so it's a good thing we didn't prep the kids on them. Katie Colbert says all the birds in the park are in one big winter flock, and you either see huge numbers or none.
Wild Turkey tracks and scat seen. (Best way to see these guys is to camp there.)
Tom Condit
Large flock of American Robins
Fri, 16 Nov 2001 11:33:26 -0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
I just noticed quite a bit of bird activity on my street (Abbott Ct in Orinda near Rheem Blvd & Glorietta Blvd) and stepped outside to see more than 100 American Robins! They were flying about from tree to bush munching on those red berries that are heavy on shrubs right now. They were nearly crashing into each other! I got my binoculars and saw that there were also quite a few Cedar Waxwings in the mix. Beautiful!
While I was out there (in just 20 minutes) I also saw 4 California Quail, an Anna's Hummingbird, some juncos, House Finches, and a Nuttall's Woodpecker. I could hear a Golden-crowned Sparrow too although the robins were making quite a din!
What a high!
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA
http://www.kittoi.com/
Re: Large flock of American Robins
Fri, 16 Nov 2001 17:32:15 -0800
From: Jerrie Arko
What a nice few minutes of birding in your yard, Kitty! I haven't seen a waxwing in so long I had almost fogotten to look for one! <big grin> All the pyracantha and cenenothios (the spelling is wrong, I know. I am a birder, not a gardener...) bushes around here are just loaded with berries, so I should see some winter robins and a waxwing or two soon. There are some Dark-eyed Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows around now, and the Pine Siskins have returned.
By the way, I had a look at your website. Nice work!
Jerrie Arko, El Cerrito, CA
Original Message Subject Index
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Fri, 16 Nov 2001 17:30:43 -0800
From: Mike Ezekiel
Hello, Geese Lovers,
Time to get out to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge [off Hwy 5 between Williams and Willows, in Glenn County] - fantastic flights of Snow, Ross' and Greater White-fronted Geese - in the tens of thousands - along with all the assorted half million or more Northern Pintails, Mallards, Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, etc., etc.
On the rarer side, we saw 1 Blue-winged Teal and at least several Eurasian Wigeon.
Mike Ezekiel
Oakland, CA.
Birding in Sycamore Grove and Veterans Park,
Livermore
Fri, 16 Nov 2001 21:23:35 -0800
From: Akira So
Hello all:
This afternoon I spent a few hours birding in the Sycamore Grove and Veterans Park, located off Hwy 84 in Livermore.
(The north parking lot is on Wetmore Rd, Livermore. Open every day from 7:00 AM to sunset. Parking fee is $2 per car.)
In case you are not familiar with the park (as I was not), the park has a creek running through the length of it. I took the dirt hiking trail paralleling the creek on the east side, proceeding from north to south, then coming back on the paved hiking/biking road on the other side of the creek. I think it was about an easy 5 miles round trip. Looking at a map, I see that the park is located to the northwest of Del Valle Regional Park.
Soon after starting out, in the field to the east of the trail, right by the eastern boarder of the park by the adjacent vineyard, I saw a pair of Ring-necked Pheasants. I see it listed on the park's birding list, so it may be a regular bird there. Also saw an Osprey circling in the sky.
Here is a complete list of birds I saw (31 species):
Osprey
White-tailed Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Bluebird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-billed Magpie
California Quail
Ring-necked Pheasant
Acorn Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (all Red-shafted)
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret (7 of them flying in a perfect V formation - didn't know they did this sort of thing...)
Anna's Hummingbird
American Robin
Black Phoebe
Mourning Dove
Western Scrub-Jay
Double-crested Cormorant
Northern Mockingbird
American Crow
Turkey Vulture
European Starling
Akira So
Pleasanton, CA
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Re: Birding in Sycamore Grove and Veterans
Park, Livermore
Sat, 17 Nov 2001 09:15:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Peter Rauch
Sycamore Grove Park is one of the Livermore Area Recreation & Park District parks. Glad to see it's a birders' destination.
It's undergoing a "resource management plan" study right now. It's sort of a "linear park," following the Arroyo del Valle drainage. It's chock-full of an even-aged stand of old (and anthracnose-diseased) Western Sycamores (an uncommon habitat type in our area, and this grove is not regenerating; why?). Birders will want to influence the outcome of this plan, as it will determine how the need to protect, preserve and enhance the biological resources squares (I hesitate to suggest "balances") with other resource (including active recreational uses of various sorts). It's a fine place, and deserves top-grade biological protections.
The 3rd of 5 meetings of the technical advisory committee (TAC) is in January, and will focus on the biological resources (cultural, historical and archeological resources have been reported on thus far). I don't have the specific date yet. You could contact the LARPD in Livermore to ask for the date/time/place (probably held again at Ravenswood Historical Site, 2647 Arroyo Rd, Livermore).
Peter Rauch
Kensington
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