Re: Question about Berkeley parrots
Wed, 25
Sep 2002 10:32:04 -0700
From: Arlene Gemmill
San Francisco has, of course, two resident flocks of parakeets.
The ones described in the two EBB postings sound like the Nob Hill bunch. Red-Masked Parakeet (Aratinga erythrogenys) found on page 240 of National Geographic Society, Field Guide to the Birds of North America (3rd edition).
Just saw about a dozen of them at Fort Mason here September 21 on the San Francisco Field Ornithologists Rare Bird Round-up, where they are almost inevitably to be found. Wonder if a few have moved to East Bay.
Can parakeets cross the Bay or is it a different set of individuals? Or maybe a different species?
Arlene
on the west bank of EBB
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Broad-winged Hawk over Tilden Regional Park
Wed, 25 Sep 2002 22:49:51 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hi all,
Today I again went to hawkwatch at Wildcat Peak in Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley Hills, Contra Costa County) with the highlight being a Broad-winged Hawk soaring over at 11:30 AM. I had never seen one in the county until I started sitting on hilltops a few years ago and I have now seen four. Other raptors between 11 and 12:15 included 1 Northern Harrier, 1 American Kestrel, 2 immature Red-shouldered Hawks, 7 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 unidentified buteos, 3 immature Cooper's Hawks, 7 immature Sharp-shinned Hawks and 4 unidentified accipiters. Turkey Vultures are harder to count, with quite a few locals about, but I had 17 I was reasonably certain were migrating. The total then was 46 birds in a little over an hour. Unfortunately I had to leave for work just when winds seemed to be freshening from the west and birds started appearing from Marin. There were also good numbers of Vaux's Swifts today with at least 140 passing by. Five American White Pelicans drifting by were also nice.
Passerine-wise on the walk out I had all the residents as well as 1 Black-throated Gray Warbler, 1 Townsend's Warbler, 4 House Wrens, 1 Yellow Warbler, and one Wilson's Warbler. Not great numbers but nobody coastside reported good numbers of migrants so I shouldn't be surprised. The first Golden-crowned Sparrows I have gotten up there this fall totaled at least 22 and I also had my first two Fox Sparrows. Finally, a Say's Phoebe up there was my first of the fall.
Steve Glover
Dublin
Re: Question about Berkeley parrots
Thu, 26
Sep 2002 15:42:27 -0700
From: John Poole
I work at Jefferson School where we see a flock of 5 parrots (masked conures?) daily. Last year there were only three of them. They come to compete with the Cedar Waxwings and American Robins for the pyrocantha berries next to the school.
Each year we have several fatalities among the waxwings when they fly into our windows. Last year and this the children made black hawk decals to tape to the windows to discourage birds from flying into them.
John Poole
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Mitchell Canyon
Sun, 29 Sep 2002 20:15:53
-0700
From: Dennis Braddy
EastBayBirders,
As is so often the case, the highlight of my day was meeting other birders. I had the pleasure of birding with Mark and Inez Brocco for what turned out to be the most productive 30 minutes of the day. 17 of the 39 species ticked today I saw (or saw again) in this last half hour - most of them within yards of the Mitchell Canyon parking lot. Someone passing by asked what birds we had seen. We patiently recited the longish list of recent sightings. Just as we finished the list someone else walked up and asked what birds we had seen. Well, I guess its nice that they were interested enough to ask.
I birded Mitchell Canyon up to where the trail gets steep. (Hey, I had to turn around somewhere.) I also walked up White Canyon on Red Road. (?!) The Mitchell Canyon parking lot in Mount Diablo State Park is at the end of Mitchell Canyon Road in Clayton. The parking lot opens at 8:00 AM. No fee.
Some brief highlights:
Hairy Woodpeckers and Downy Woodpeckers obligingly squeezed into the same field of view so that we might better compare them.
Three dueling California Thrashers attempted to out-sing one another on the same hillside.
The Townsend's Warbler I saw at 8:00 AM waited for me to return and tick him again 6 hours later. (I birded hard today, so I'm counting him twice.)
Three helpful Sage Sparrows struck front, back and profile poses so that I could see all the field marks simultaneously.
A Wilson's Warbler with a shiner was intriguing. (He had a black smudge under his left eye.) His black cap looked a little askew as well.
After listening to the cries of Red-tailed Hawks all day (or very good impressions by Steller's Jays), one finally flew over close enough to reveal a missing outer secondary and a beautifully translucent ruddy tail.
My two trained Oak Titmice came when I pished, impressing the Broccos.
A pox on the Ruby-crowned Kinglets that single-handedly gave me warbler neck today.
Likewise, a pox on the Hermit Thrush whose reddish tail was not nearly reddish enough for this red-green color deficient birder.
Bewick's Wrens scolded me all day like my mother never did.
Some other nice birds (so you don't have to read the complete list below) included Black-chinned Sparrow, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Northern Flickers, Warbling Vireo, Western Bluebirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Say's Phoebe.
Red-tailed Hawk
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
California Towhee
Sage Sparrow
Black-chinned Sparrow
Bushtit
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Anna's Hummingbird
Spotted Towhee
Northern Mockingbird
Acorn Woodpecker
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Fox Sparrow
California Thrasher
Wilson's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Lesser Goldfinch
Hermit Thrush
Northern Flicker
Western Scrub-Jay
Warbling Vireo
Wrentit
House Finch
Oak Titmouse
Steller's Jay
Turkey Vulture
Black Phoebe
Bewick's Wren
Western Bluebird
Band-tailed Pigeon
White-crowned Sparrow
American Kestrel
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
White-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco
Say's Phoebe
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Dennis Braddy
San Ramon
Western Bluebirds near Martinez
Mon, 30 Sep
2002 13:57:51 -0700
From: Michael Melius
A friend and I saw over thirty Western Bluebirds around sunset September 29, on Mt Wanda in John Muir National Historical Site, Martinez. Also two White-tailed Kites.
Michael Melius
Oakland
Fall birds near Livermore
Mon, 30 Sep 2002
20:32:16 -0700
From: Steve Huckabone
Saturday September 28 while hiking at Arroyo Rd staging area of Del Valle Regional Park (southeast of Livermore), I located 3 Rufous-crowned Sparrows and 4 Vaux's Swift's. Sunday September 29 between Veterans Park and Arroyo Rd staging area I spooked a Hermit Thrush from the brush.
Today at Tassajara Creek Regional Park in Dublin, I found a Red-breasted Sapsucker, first of the season. Good birding.
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore, Ca