Short-eared Owl at Hayward Regional Shoreline
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 09:35:44 -0800
From: Jennifer Rycenga
Yesterday, at about 1:30 PM, a friend and I observed a Short-eared Owl at Hayward Shoreline. It had apparently been roosting in the marsh near the northwest corner of Frank's Dump West. We were observing large flocks of Marbled Godwits in flight, when our ooohs and aaahs flushed the owl. It took off and flew to the north, giving us excellent views and all diagnostic markings. Isn't this getting a bit late in the year for a Short-eared Owl in the Bay Area proper? Just curious.
Jennifer Rycenga
Berkeley
Black-headed Grosbeak in El Cerrito
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 10:38:30 -0800
From: Jerrie Arko
"My" Black-headed Grosbeak is back!! and his lady friend is with him! They have both been eating the birdcake and the black-oil sunflower seeds. I haven't heard him sing yet but I am sure he will tune up any minute now. This is the eighth year they have nested in this neighborhood. They always have at least three youngsters.
The House Finches are certainly all dressed up for Spring and I see several nests in my yard and the neighbors' yard. There are still a few Dark-eyed Juncos and a few White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows hanging around. I am beginning to wonder if they are staying later because of the feeders and a good supply of water.
Jerrie Arko, El Cerrito, CA
Swallows everywhere!
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 13:14:07 -0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
What a beautiful day! And if it wasn't gorgeous enough, the Cliff Swallows are all over Orinda!
I just went for a little walk at Lafayette Reservoir for lunch and it was very birdy. Lots of Tree Swallows, American Goldfinches, Western Scrub-Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, Spotted Towhees, Bushtits, Oak Titmice, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, a few Nuttall's Woodpeckers, and I think I saw a White-breasted Nuthatch, but I've never seen one there before. And that was a 25 minute walk!
Get out there! It's gorgeous!
Kitty
(PS: I think you can walk at Lafayette Reservoir without a permit, but I'm not positive. You do need quarters for the parking meters. 15 minutes for a quarter.)
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA 94563
Editor's Note: The trails at Lafayette Reservoir are open to the general public (no permit required).
Volunteer field observers needed
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 15:43:32 -0800
From: Janet Hanson, SFBBO
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's Birds of the Baylands Program is looking for volunteer field observers for 2 sites on the east side of the bay:
First site is called "Turk." This site consists of salt ponds just north of the new Alameda Flood Control Channel. This is a closed area, owned by Cargill Salt; our volunteer observers get car access to check islands in ponds for Forster's Terns, Caspian Terns and Black Skimmers.
Second site is Lake Merritt in Oakland, a traditional ardeid colony on the island needs to be checked for return of Snowy Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons, possibly others.
Volunteers commit to 5 surveys during 4-day observation windows, April through July. We have already completed the training sessions so you'll need to get one-on-one instruction from our biologists.
You must have your own scope and car, sign release forms, etc.
Please respond to Cheryl Strong, Waterbird Biologist, SFBBO
Pass this along ... thanks much!
Janet T. Hanson
Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO)
Alviso, CA
http://www.sfbbo.org/
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve this afternoon
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 17:33:41 PST
From: Mark Rauzon
Kitty O'Neil wrote:
Get out there! It's gorgeous!
I took your advice and headed to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills. Highlights include a flyover yellow-shafted Northern Flicker, a lovely singing Lark Sparrow, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, and at one time three Kestrels soaring with a Golden Eagle. When I looked at the trail again, a small bobcat was staring at me head-on, giving me a good long look before it turned sideways and bounded off. The Golden Eagle then flew by and I swear it carried a radio transmitter on its back.
This was all seen on the trail that goes towards Orinda this afternoon.
mark rauzon
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve this morning
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 20:37:30 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve this morning from about 8 to 11 AM. I didn't find the Rufous-crowned Sparrows or Lark Sparrows I'd been hoping for (though I did hear some sparrow songs I wasn't sure of).
However, I did have three California Thrashers singing in different areas, two of them posing on top of bushes in plain sight. The Golden Eagle was atop one of the hilltop towers.
Birds were singing everywhere - Orange-crowned Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows, Bewick's Wrens, and quite a few songs I wasn't sure about. I did recognize at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet song, and he flashed his ruby crown at me to confirm my identification. Still, I guess I'd better get out those CD-ROMs and brush up for springtime.
Good birding, Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Anna's Hummingbird nest abandoned?
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 21:23:50 -0800
From: Steve Huckabone
Over the past few weeks during my lunch break I watched an Anna's Hummingbird build a nest at Tassajara Creek Park in Dublin. She did lay one egg about 10 days ago and I saw her sitting once and haven't seen her on the nest since. Is this normal? I want to take the nest but not until she's finished. I just wonder if this was an unsuccessful attempt - we did have some pretty wild weather during that period. Also at this park I saw a Downey Woodpecker excavate a nest cavity and, like the hummingbird, I haven't seen her in more than two weeks.
Just wondering....
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore, Ca 94550
Re: Anna's Hummingbird nest abandoned?
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 22:14:35 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
First, you should know that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it a federal crime to take, transport, possess, sell, or export any migratory bird, any part of such a bird (including feathers), or nests or eggs of such birds, except in cases where regulations permit taking of certain species, or for researchers and educators who have collecting permits. See
The ability to prosecute people for having feathers or eggs or nests was crucial in protecting birds being hunted for such items. In general, possession of a few items by an individual will probably be ignored if no birds were harmed in their taking (for example, abandoned nests or feathers found on the ground). Be sure, however, that no such materials are used in artworks or otherwise displayed in public - those cases are prosecuted. (Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor do I even play one on TV.)
If the hummingbird has been off her nest for more than an hour, she almost certainly has abandoned the nest, particularly in the chilly weather of the past week. Many nests were abandoned when we hit this spell of cold and rainy weather after the brief warm and dry period in February. To be sure, you could check the nest a few times during the evening and early morning. One wildlife rehabilitation site I found on the web recommended keeping a nest under constant watch for at least 45 minutes before concluding that it had been abandoned.
However, you should note that nests are sometimes reused, saving the bird a lot of energy spent building a new nest. For example, see
Good luck, Larry
Larry Tunstall, El Cerrito CA
Original Message Subject Index