Re: Birding at Temescal Regional Recreation Area
Sat, 22 Nov 2003 08:48:54 PST
From: Bob Lewis
Judi,
Lake Temescal is in the area Dave Quady and I do every year for the Oakland Christmas Count. The ducks usually include Mallard, Ruddy Duck and Ring-billed Duck, with a rare interloper like Canvasback, scaup or Wood Duck. There are lots of Double-crested Cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls (and occasionally some other gull). There are no shorebirds - with very rare exceptions.
American Coots feed on the grass. There is often a Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Herons, Great Blue Heron and Great Egret are regular. Sometimes a Snowy Egret.
Passerines around the lake include Townsend's Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, occasionally Hutton's Vireo and Orange-crowned Warbler. There are lots of sparrows - Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, and occasionally Lincoln's Sparrow. Hermit Thrush and American Robin abound.
Above the lake we've seen Osprey, and Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin and Common Raven are flyovers.
In the oaks along the shore and on the hillside, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Oak Titmouse, Bewick's Wren and Bushtits are common.
Good Birding,
Bob Lewis
Original Message Subject Index
Hooded Merganser at Berkeley Aquatic Park
Sat, 22 Nov 2003 10:56:03 -0800
From: John Poole
On a short visit to Berkeley Aquatic Park this morning I found a male Hooded Merganser in the middle pond.
Good birding!
John Poole
Emeryville Peninsula
Sat, 22 Nov 2003 midday
From: Peter D
Good Morning
Emeryville Peninsula, or to be precise the waters surrounding our little spit of land, was quite birdy this morning. To the south, a large raft of Ruddy Ducks and scaup hunkered down under windy but very clear skies. I'm not good at counting such large groups but there must have been many hundred.
Around the water's edge Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels and Willets snoozed. Four types of grebe (Pied-billed Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe and Horned Grebe) shared the fishing with the local human regulars and a Common Loon.
One thing caught my attention, as I've never seen such a sight before. Maybe 100 to 150 Willets floated in a long, thin raft at least 100 feet offshore. I felt certain that they were "floating" rather than "standing" because the tide was quite high, and a flock of Marbled Godwits flew in to join them, but - maybe seeing the water was deep - wouldn't land and headed for shore.
Have a nice day.
Cheers
Peter
Tufted Duck continues off Berkeley shoreline
Sat, 22 Nov 2003 18:38:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Bob Power
Hi all:
The male Tufted Duck in non-breeding plumage continues off the Berkeley shoreline between Ashby Ave and University Ave. This bird seems to be consistently (famous last words) associating with 6 to 10 Redheads, some Lesser Scaup and Ruddy Ducks approximately one-quarter mile north of Ashby Ave, approximately 100 yards into the bay. The only parking in this stretch is the nicely designed pullout an eighth of a mile north of Ashby Ave.
Bob Power
Oakland
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Chukar in Oakland
Sun, 23 Nov 2003 01:19:11
-0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding the following message to the list for Mark Rauzon:
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 18:42:01 PST
There been a Chukar living in my neighborhood for several weeks now in the lower Oakland Hills. It roosts on the next door neighbor's roof which it matches well, then glides across the street to feed with the Mourning Doves at a front-yard feeder. It dodges cats, cars and dogs - so far so good.
Mark Rauzon
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject Index
Editor's Note: These Chukars in the Oakland Hills almost certainly are released captive-bred birds. See
http://folkbird.net/ebb/archive/a0212d.html#1801This Chukar reported by Mark has been in the 4600 block of Edgewood Ave off Park Blvd at cross street Hollywood Ave. --Larry
Tufted Duck off Berkeley shoreline
Sun, 23
Nov 2003 11:18:21 -0800
From: John Poole
This morning at 10:00 I found the Tufted Duck in the Bay at the foot of Ashby St just to the north of the small bayside park.
It was in a small raft of ducks which included Redheads and Greater(?) Scaup.
Good birding!
John Poole
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Research questionnaire
Sun, 23 Nov 2003 23:21:49
-0800
From: Larry Tunstall
East Bay Birders,
The US Fish & Wildlife Survey recently released a report about the characteristics of people who say they have an interest in watching birds.
http://library.fws.gov/nat_survey2001_birding.pdfOne of the interesting statistics was that 94 percent of them identified themselves as "white."
John C. Robinson, until recently an East Bay birder (and still an East Bay field trip leader), has been investigating the reasons for this lack of diversity. He has devised a questionnaire and would appreciate responses to it from birders of minority ethnic origins (Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, etc.).
If you would like a copy of the questionnaire e-mailed to you (or if you have questions), contact John at birdshrike@cs.com
John says, "The information that this questionnaire is likely to generate will be very important as we look at the future of conservation-related policies that apply to birds specifically and natural resources in general."
Thanks to Mark Rauzon for suggesting that this should be publicized, and to John Robinson for his enthusiasm and efforts.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA