Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek
Sat, 12 Jan 2002 15:31:36 -0800
From: Bob Hole
During a walk around Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek today (January 12, 2 to 3 PM), I was greeted by, among other things, a female Greater Scaup in the boat pond (next to the offices). She looked a little lost. [However, see next message.]
Also of note:
There were also at least two "cackling" Canada Geese in the same pond.
A male Tri-colored Blackbird (sing "one of these birds is not like the others") was hanging out in the reeds too.
Other birds seen include:
Canada Goose (two sizes in addition to "cackling")
Mallard
Ring-billed Gull
Ring-necked Duck (I only saw a single male today, Monday there were at least four pair)
Ruddy Duck
American Coot
Snowy Egret
Red-winged Blackbird
Bufflehead (one pair)
Double-crested Cormorant
Western Bluebird
Black Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Great Egret
American Robin
American Goldfinch
woodpecker sp.
American Crow
House Sparrow
Anna's Hummingbird
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow (acting like a Gold-crowned Sparrow)
Western Scrub-Jay
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Rock Dove
Pied-billed Grebe
Noted by its absence was White-crowned Sparrow. However, there were lots more people around and several off-lead dogs being taken around the pond (and several more on-lead dogs being allowed to chase birds, grrr). Since I only walked the lake-edge, the White-crowned Sparrows may have simply moved to a quieter patch.
Bob
Robert Hole, Jr.
Re: Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek
Sat, 12 Jan 2002 17:53:07 -0800
From: Bob Hole
Apologies for anyone who got too excited. On reviewing my notes and additional help at home, I find the female bird I reported at Heather Farm Park is a Lesser Scaup, not a Greater Scaup. In case anyone cares, Kaufman's field guide confused me, Stokes's straightened me out.
Bob
Robert Hole, Jr.
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Easy Clapper Rails at Arrowhead Marsh
Sat, 12 Jan 2002 21:19:20 -0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
It was very easy to see the Clapper Rails at Arrowhead Marsh [in Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline, Oakland] this morning (saw 3). They were swamped out of the marsh and very close up to the sidewalk by the boardwalk. Someone there also saw Virginia Rails, but I did not.
Also interesting were hundreds of Marbled Godwits and Willets packed together on the boardwalk resting. The thing was covered with birds!!!!
The Burrowing Owl made a nice appearance too.
Kitty
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA
http://www.kittoi.com/
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Tagged Turkey Vulture in Fremont
Sat, 12 Jan 2002 21:37:56 -0800
From: Dennis Rashé
Today, while birding along Alameda Creek in Fremont between Niles and the new Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, I came across a Turkey Vulture with a large white tag, labeled A3, on his left wing. Does anybody know about the tagging of Turkey Vultures in the area? Should this be reported to any group? Just curious.
By the way I was delighted to see the new park. I haven't been out that way for sometime and I had always wanted to see what was on the other side of the fence. Good birds included White Pelicans, Ring-necked ducks, Eared Grebes, Horned Grebes, Western Grebes and Clark's Grebes. To my surprise I also saw two Barn Swallows.
In the creek near the footbridge that crosses the creek (sorry I don't know the name of it) I saw a pair of Hooded Mergansers. There are lots of good birds on this walk.
Dennis Rashé
Re: Easy Clapper Rails at Arrowhead Marsh
Sun, 13 Jan 2002 14:59:49 -0800
From: Bob Hole
After Kitty's message of yesterday, I just had to try for the rails this morning, and did. It was my first time at Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline, and I'm guessing I'll have to go back. I was there today from 10 AM to 12:30 PM, high tide was at 11:15 AM. In addition to two Clapper Rails by the boardwalk, I found:
Marbled Godwit
Surf Scoter
Willet
Common Goldeneye
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup (after yesterday, boy did I check that out carefully!!!)
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Great Blue Heron
Brewer's Blackbird
Common Yellowthroat
American Coot
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Western Grebe
Clarke's Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Canada Goose
Black Turnstone
Brown Pelican
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Bufflehead
Double-crested Cormorant
Marsh Wren
Ring-billed Gull
Western Gull
Herring Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Mockingbird
Mallard
and my 100th species for the week and the year, a male Barrow's Goldeneye!!!!
Bob
Robert Hole, Jr.
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