Falcon at Lake Merritt, Oakland
Fri, 1 Nov
2002 08:21:38 -0800
From: Bruce Mast
Three times now in the last week I've seen a large falcon during my walks around Lake Merritt. This morning (around 6 AM) I got a distant view of the bird atop the Park Bellevue Building, across from the Rotary Nature Center. All three times I was without my binoculars, but yesterday I saw the bird from a reasonably close distance, both perched and flying. It was just after noon and it was sitting in a large tree near the nature center. The bird is about peregrine-sized, with a falcon shape and flight pattern. It's brown above and streaky brown below. The head and upper breast are noticeably paler. I didn't note a prominent mustache stripe but I can't rule one out, based on naked-eye observation. Based on field marks, it could be either a juvenile Peregrine Falcon - tundra race (per Sibley) - or a Prairie Falcon. Given habitat and location, I would assume a Peregrine Falcon would be much more likely.
Also of local interest, 4 American Wigeons have been hanging out at the lake shore across from the County Courthouse. In my limited experience, the wigeons tend to prefer the channel between Oakland and Alameda and generally shun Lake Merritt. The other expected winter duck species are about all here and showing regular increases in number. The Belted Kingfisher has also been fairly regular around the bird islands the last couple months. The Mandarin Duck has been sporadic so far this fall. Look for it with the Mallards feeding on falling acorns under the oaks.
Bruce Mast
Oakland
Hermit Thrush in Richmond yard
Fri, 01 Nov
2002 08:56:06 -0800
From: Lisa Viani
My yearly Hermit Thrush visitor is back (Richmond flatlands). This is the one I ignorantly mistook for an Ovenbird last year ... :-)
Lisa Viani
Re: Falcon at Lake Merritt
Fri, 01 Nov 2002
08:59:41 -0800
From: Rusty Scalf
There has been a huge (obviously female) immature Peregrine Falcon in downtown Oakland for at least a month now. I last saw her shoot over the Frank Ogawa Plaza by city hall about a week ago. I have seen her out the window (I work at the State of California Bldg at Clay & 16th). This is the largest peregrine I have ever seen without a doubt. She also strikes me as quite dark.
Rusty Scalf
Original Message Subject Index
Tufted Duck in bay at Emeryville
Fri, 1 Nov
2002 12:35:30 -0800
From: Denise Wight
Hi E.B. Birders,
This morning, November 1st, in Emeryville, on the bay between Chevy's Restaurant and Point Emery, there was a flock of ducks which included a male Tufted Duck. I scoped this duck from the small parking lot on the west side of Chevy's while he preened and flipped around his relatively short tuft. The sides where grayish, not immaculate white, which made me guess it was first-winter male. The back was blackish.
There were also 28 Redhead males and female, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads, and displaying Western Grebes.
Denise Wight
Martinez, CA
Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve
Fri, 01 Nov
2002 20:30:05 -0800
From: Tom Condit
November 1, Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve, Richmond
Late afternoon
Not much seen:
American Kestrel
Northern Harrier
Mourning Dove
(Hutton's Vireo maybe)
Bushtits
White-crowned Sparrows
Tom Condit
Temescal Regional Recreation Area
Sat, 02
Nov 2002 09:21:00 -0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
Yesterday afternoon I walked around the lake there by Hwy 24 in Oakland (I suppose it is called Lake Temescal). Nice close-up views of Black-crowned Night-Herons in the trees (3 total) and a Green Heron fishing. Others seen: Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Steller's Jay, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Robin, Mourning Dove, Black Phoebe and one Nuttall's Woodpecker. The usual suspects.
Kitty
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA
Varied Thrush near Castro Valley
Sat, 02 Nov
2002 13:12:21 -0800
From: Toby McGuire
I'm a novice birder, and I believe I saw my first Varied Thrush this morning on the Ramage Peak Trail in Anthony Chabot Regional Park just north of Castro Valley.
Ferruginous Hawk and White-tailed Kite in San Ramon
Sat, 02 Nov 2002 17:08:30 -0800
From: Dennis & Patricia Braddy
EastBayBirders,
Last evening we added two new birds to our suburban San Ramon yard list. A menacing Ferruginous Hawk left a cowering White-tailed Kite whining in a neighbor's redwood tree.
We have seen the Ferruginous Hawk several times lately in the area bounded by San Ramon Valley Blvd, Norris Canyon Rd, and Bollinger Canyon Rd. This afternoon it was perched in the top of a tree near Bollinger Canyon Elementary School looking down on a backyard party of screaming kids.
Dennis and Patricia Braddy
San Ramon
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Sat, 02
Nov 2002 18:23:02 -0800
From: Jennifer Rycenga
Today, on a hike with some friends, saw two birds of some note along the Volcanic Trail at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills - a Slate-colored Junco (male), and one Rufous-crowned Sparrow (first one I've had in this park, although I've always suspected, from height and habitat, that they could be around).
Jennifer Rycenga
Berkeley, California
Ferruginous Hawk in Oakland
Sat, 2 Nov 2002
19:01:36 -0800
From: John Luther
Hi Birders,
After birding away from home today I saw a Ferruginous Hawk from my jeep as I drove into my driveway. The bird was moving south over Shepherd Canyon in the Oakland Hills. It was #131 yard bird for me here. I thought it might mean hawk movement over the East Bay hills, but a few hours of viewing on and off found mostly (or all) residents/usual birds with a Golden Eagle, 3 Red-tailed Hawks, a Cooper's Hawk and a flock of over 40 Common Ravens on the ridge south of Round Top in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve.
John Luther
Oakland
Ferruginous Hawk near Sunol
Sat, 2 Nov 2002
22:44:03 -0800
From: Rich Cimino
This morning (Saturday) around 11 AM Dave Bowden and I saw a Ferruginous Hawk on the San Francisco Water Dept property at Hwy 84 (Niles Canyon Rd) and Hwy 680.
Rich Cimino