SAVE International anniversary party
Tue, 20 Aug 2002 11:26:04 -0700
From: Sheila Dickie
You are invited to join SAVE International at its Fifth Year Anniversary Party on Monday, August 26, 2002, 6 to 8 PM in Room 315A Wurster Hall on the Berkeley campus (near the corner of Bancroft and College).
Since 1997 SAVE, a group of UC Berkeley faculty, staff and students, has been working with colleagues at National Taiwan University to save the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) from the extinction vortex. Its survival is threatened by the proposed construction of an industrial complex on its wintering grounds in the Tsengwen estuary in Taiwan, home to 60% of the remaining 800 or so birds worldwide. Known for its grace and beauty, the bird is a popular tourist attraction in Taiwan, and even though its photo appears on the Taiwan passport it struggles for recognition and help from international conservationists as its wintering grounds continue to be at risk.
Please join us to learn more about progress to date as SAVE unveils its Fifth Anniversary Report Card and presents slides and maps illustrating the project. Help create an action plan for saving the bird from extinction.
Spoonbill sculptures made by Berkeley students as part of a class project will be auctioned at the party to help raise funds for SAVE. Following the program (6 to 7 PM) refreshments will be served.
Sheila Dickie
Alumni Relations, Publications & Public Relations Director
College of Environmental Design
University of California, Berkeley
Puzzling owl in Tilden Regional Park
Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:15:27 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Late this morning, I ventured into the drifting clouds on Vollmer Peak (south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Hills) to see if the Great Horned Owl might happen to be staying up hunting in the gloom (as I found it doing once before).
Not many birds were making themselves obvious, and I saw no sign of the owl as I walked up the road and around the east side of the peak. The wind got stronger and colder, and I decided to head for home.
I turned from Seaview Trail onto Lupine Trail, walking west across the north side of the peak, and suddenly spotted a large owl sitting on a low horizontal branch in the conifers uphill from me, facing away from me. Almost immediately, though, I realized that it didn't look like a Great Horned Owl. No "horns" were visible, the head looked almost perfectly spherical, and it was a quite yellowish straw color on the back. The upper back of the bird was mottled in this yellowish color and darker blacks and browns. The tail appeared quite short (extending below the feet less than a third of the distance from feet to top of head).
The owl was awake, having been looking at me when I first spotted it, and showing great interest in some nearby quail calls as well as other sounds or movements not detectable by me. As it turned its head, I could see clearly that it had no long "horns" or "ears" (they weren't just folded down). The face also looked quite round, with the most noticeable features being dark areas around the eyes and dark crescents at the sides of the face. As it looked over its shoulder at me, I could not see any sign of white on the throat. I never did get a look at the breast or belly.
I walked farther west and took the trail up to the paved peak road and walked down that, but the owl wasn't visible from anywhere except the short stretch of trail where I had first seen it.
After studying my books, it seems that the owl fits the description of the Short-eared Owl, except for the habitat and the perch on a branch several feet off the ground. I couldn't tell exactly how big it was because it was some distance away with no objects of known size near it, but it was definitely at least a foot tall and it appeared taller.
The illustrations I've seen of fledgling Great Horned Owls also have round heads without "horns," but otherwise do not seem much to resemble the bird I saw.
Has anyone seen Short-eared Owls migrating through the East Bay Hills at this time of year? Does anyone know if young Great Horned Owls go through a stage that might fit the bird I saw?
Thanks, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Reply #1 Reply #2 Reply #3 Reply #4 Subject Index
Fwd: Golden Eagle versus Swainson's
Hawks
Thu, 22 Aug 2002 18:12:36 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
Frano was having trouble posting the following message, so I'm forwarding it to the list for him. --Larry
I was truly rewarded Sunday with a wonderful sight just a couple of miles north of the Sunol Regional Wilderness entrance on Calaveras Rd. A majestic Golden Eagle soaring on the winds above the hill. Being quite large I thought it to be a female and suddenly from behind the hill come a pair of Swainson's Hawks in hot pursuit of the eagle. They had an aerial battle for a couple of minutes and appeared to touch talons a couple of times. My wife noticed a "big cow" on top of the hill. I turned my binocs to the ridge and there were about six female elk and one monster of a bull shooing them up over the hill. His antlers reached almost all the way to his rump. He did let out a bugle before he disappeared. It seems they have the run of some PG & E land up there.
I turned back to the battle for air supremacy, and the Swainson's would not give up so the golden flew back over the top of the hill and out of sight. But never out of my mind.
Good birding,
Frano, Hayward
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall, El Cerrito
Re: Puzzling owl in Tilden Regional
Park
Thu, 22 Aug 2002 19:30:15 -0700
From: Russ Wilson
Larry,
Perhaps I can shed some light on the appearance of a fledgling Great Horned Owl: Ear tufts, or no ear tufts?
As a teenager in western New York I kept a watchful eye on a Great Horned Owl nest, and watched the progress of a developing chick. On one occasion the nest appeared to be abandoned, and I found a dead adult nearby. I watched for another parent to show up, but none did. Fearful of the demise of the chick, I climbed the tree and rescued it. Of course it was probably illegal, but that was in 1938 and I was a naive teenager. What did I know!
I brought the owl home, and when it learned to fly - I let it fly free around the neighborhood, and kept the attic window open so that it could come and go. Perched on my shoulder (sharp talons), it often accompanied me on hikes and would catch snakes and frogs along the creek.
I have a picture of the owl when it must have been 4 or 5 months old and ear tufts are clearly visible although it still has some down on its head. I have an enlargement of the picture in which the owl is about 2 inches tall and shows a good front view. I'd be happy to show it to you if you're interested.
Russ Wilson
El Cerrito
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More migrants
Thu, 22 Aug 2002 21:19:13 PDT
From: Brian Fitch
Monday - one Hermit Warbler at the Lone Oak picnic area in Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley Hills).
Tuesday - two Red Knots in basic plumage on the Albany mudflats; one Willow Flycatcher out on the Albany Bulb, in fennel behind the easternmost paintings in the "gallery."
Thursday - A single Black Skimmer flew in over the weedy field between the Berkeley Marina and Hwy 80, came low over us, and then turned toward Berkeley Aquatic Park and headed out of sight. This was at 10:20 AM, and I did not see a leg band, but could easily have missed one if it was there.
Later, a single Red-necked Phalarope was in the bay, just offshore at the base of the Berkeley Fishing Pier, on the south side.
Brian Fitch and crew