House Wren in Moraga
Mon, 24 Nov 2003 09:04:24
-0800
From: Nat Weber
Hi EBB birders
Yesterday at Valle Vista Staging Area for Upper San Leandro Reservoir in Moraga, Ray Witbeck and I saw a House Wren immediately at the area where you sign in. This is a pretty arid spot and late for House Wren. Two years ago in the Christmas Bird Count we had House Wren nearby but in a riparian habitat. Other birds of interest were a pair of Wood Ducks and an excellent view of a Great Horned Owl. Also, in an area frequented by Loggerhead shrike we found evidence of tasty morsels of food stored on a barbed wire fence. The goodies consisted three potato bugs/thorax/parts/etc, a large grasshopper and a 5 inch lizard tail. The larder was stored on five consecutive barbs. The rest of the barbs for a hundred yards in each direction were empty.
There is an old trail recently reopened. It is an immediate left after you cross the bridge. I believe it is called the Rimer Creek trail. It's not very birdy in the winter but when the water level is higher yields better views of the Wood Ducks. It also provided the Great Horned Owl.
Good Birding
Nat Weber
Moraga, CA
Re: Research questionnaire
Mon, 24 Nov 2003
12:35:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Floyd Hayes
Sadly North America isn't the only place where most birders are white. In Caribbean islands where whites are the vast minority (e g, <1% in Trinidad and about 15% in the US Virgin Islands, where I spent my past 10 years), most birders (and members of environmental organizations) happen to be white. I'm convinced it's a cultural thing, but the tide is slowly changing and must change if there's any hope of saving birds and their habitats. I've personally witnessed increasing numbers of "ethnic majorities" in the Caribbean becoming interested in birds and environmental issues. The trick is to zealously invite non-whites birding and give them opportunities to become more involved within the local birding community. Inevitably a few become hooked, then their friends, and so on.
Floyd E. Hayes
Associate Professor of Biology
Department of Biology,
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA
http://www.geocities.com/floyd_hayes
Original Message Subject Index
Re: Chukar in Oakland
Mon, 24 Nov 2003 20:26:43
-0800
From: Johan Langewis
Sometime around 1980 I lived near Keller Ave and Greenly Dr in Oakland. One morning I saw a Chukar in the driveway. My birding friends thought I was nuts. A house down the street from me had numerous chicken coops, and if I remember right they also had some turkeys. It's possible they had other game birds and the Chukar was an escapee from their yard. I never investigated if this was true. I doubt very much that it was a wild bird.
Johan Langewis
Oakland
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Chukar in Oakland
Tue, 25 Nov 2003 09:29:52
-0800
From: Kitty O'Neil
If you get a chance when you see a Chukar, check the leg for a tag. I found a dead one at Briones Regional Park recently and it had a blue price tag on its leg. Poor little Chukar never had a chance. :(
Kitty
Kitty O'Neil
Orinda, CA
Original Message Subject Index
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Wed, 26 Nov 2003
14:32:30 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Dennis Rash�:
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 20:47:23 +0000
Hello,
I had the opportunity to visit the Mt Trashmore area of Hayward Regional Shoreline this morning. I tried to locate some longspurs, but to no avail. There were lots of Savannah Sparrows, Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks, and American Pipits.
I did, however, find six Ross' Geese and a half-dozen or so of what I believe is a subspecies of Canada Goose, along with many of the more common larger-sized Canada Geese. Their smaller size, about three-quarter size, and the thin white neck band, have me confused. Are they immature, Aleutian subspecies, or are they, what I am seeing in my books, a Lesser or hutchinsii subspecies? I am just looking for confirmation. Has anybody else seen them? I'm just curious.
Take care,
Dennis Rash�
LivermorePS I have had a White-throated Sparrow at my feeder on and off this last two weeks. I had one all last winter. I'll keep you updated on it's frequency if you desire.
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Golden Eagles at Livermore airport
Thu, 27
Nov 2003 11:34:49 -0800
From: Steve Huckabone
This morning I found 2 Golden Eagles perched in the trees at the west end of Livermore airport. The birds were clearly seen from the west end of E Jack London Rd. A third Golden Eagle was soaring above the runway.
Happy Thanksgiving and good birding.
Steve Huckabone
Alameda County
Livermore California