Eurasian Collared Dove
Sat, 18 May 2002 11:42:04 -0700
From: Mary
How weird is it that I've got a Eurasian Collared Dove mixed in with the Mourning Doves in my backyard in Fremont, between Oakland and San Jose? I read that it's established in Florida and moving up, and one map says that there are some around Monterey and Big Sur, but I can't find documentation of them in the bay area.
Is it more likely to be a stray, or a captive one that escaped?
I've got pictures, but a motherboard that won't recognize my floppy, which is how I upload pics from my digital camera. When that's replaced (tonight or tomorrow) I'll put the pics on my web site. But it's definitely a Eurasian Collared Dove.
Mary
Black-chinned Sparrows at Mount Diablo
Sun, 19 May 2002 14:27:47 -0700
From: Dennis Braddy
EastBayBirders,
This morning, May 19 at 8:00 AM, we began our second search for the Black-chinned Sparrow at Mount Diablo State Park, just short of the last turnout before the south fee kiosk. This is where it was reported and where we looked for it previously. Today we were successful. We heard several Black-chinned Sparrows singing their distinctive accelerating trill as soon as we got out of the car. Seeing one took a little longer. Eventually, a male complete with black chin perched nearby and we got close-up binocular and spotting-scope views of it singing. A great way to start the day!
While trying to get a visual on the Black-chinned Sparrow we ticked Lazuli Bunting, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Song Sparrow, Violet-green Swallow, Townsend's Warbler, Wrentit, American Goldfinch, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Bewick's Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Western Scrub-Jay, Anna's Hummingbird, House Finch, Common Raven, Spotted Towhee, and Rock Dove. All this in 30 minutes of birding (from the road) a very steep hillside of soft chaparral.
Things went so well at Mt Diablo that we decided to drive over to Hayward Regional Shoreline and look for Black Terns. Just as we parked in the lot at the west end of Winton Ave, the first drops of precipitation fell. We spent the next couple of hours in the rain. (Raingear would have been nice.) We birded south about two-thirds of the way to the Interpretive Center to where Black Terns were reported. For a second time in as many weeks we missed the Black Terns. However, we did see some nice birds. Personal favorites included Black Skimmer, Ruddy Turnstone, Ruddy Duck (one strutting male pursued a female and repeatedly bobbed its head), Caspian Tern, and Dunlin (some with black bellies). The complete list for Hayward Regional Shoreline follows:
Gadwall
Mallard
Canada Goose
dowitcher sp.
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
European Starling
California Towhee
Song Sparrow
Anna's Hummingbird
Forster's Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Skimmer
Western Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Duck
Marbled Godwit
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet (including chick)
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Red-necked Phalarope (possible; with asymmetric, transitional plumage)
Mourning Dove
California Gull
Dunlin
Lesser Scaup
Sanderling (probable)
Marsh Wren
Northern Harrier (looked rather miserable perched in the rain)
Ring-billed Gull (couldn't care less about the rain)
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Dennis and Patricia Braddy
San Ramon
Baby birds in eastern Contra Costa County
Sun, 19 May 2002 18:31:11 -0700
From: Judi Cooper
Yesterday, along with 7 others, I went with Mt Diablo Audubon Society to eastern Contra Costa County. The trip was led by Joel Summerhill. Joel started the trip with showing us nesting Cliff Swallows at very close-up view.
Joel has a great contact at Iron House Sanitary District and he opened all the gates for us at Jersey Island. We got a great tour and viewed the ponds now being formed by flooding. Highlights were American White Pelicans, Caspian Terns, and an American Avocet with babies. While driving the levee we had a Blue Grosbeak.
We covered many of the streets in Knightsen and Oakley and Brentwood. Joel took us right to a Swainson's Hawk nest, and we could see a head in the nest and later the adult flying overhead. He then took us to see a pair of Burrowing Owls and low and behold they had 4 tiny babies that we scoped until we could stop ogling. Another field had 5 Burrowing Owls. Our next stop was a Red-tailed Hawk nest and we could see the baby in the nest very clearly.
We also went to the Brentwood Sewage Ponds and saw 2 large broods of Mallard babies. Also, at least 3 Black-necked Stilts with tiny babies. A real treat here was a single Wilson's Phalarope and Bonaparte's Gulls.
Leaving our lunch stop at Holland Tract we saw our second Blue Grosbeak. We then headed out Bethel Island Rd to the levee and were treated with very close views of at least 4 Black-chinned Hummingbirds. We also had Bullock's and Hooded Orioles there.
All together we had 62 species and a fabulous day.
Judi Cooper
Moraga
Bald-headed backyard Red-winged Blackbird
Sun, 19 May 2002 18:40:09 -0700
From: Judi Cooper
For some reason this year my backyard is attracting Red-winged Blackbirds on a daily basis.
Today my husband called my attention to one that he said had a yellow head. I hurried to look and, unsure of what I was seeing, I retrieved my binocs from the car.
The bad news is the poor Red-winged Blackbird was not yellow-headed but was bald-headed. The good news is it is a male.
Judi Cooper
Moraga