The upside of dead trees
Tue, 10 Feb 2004
08:29:20 -0800
From: Debbie Viess
Mark Rauzon reported:
Last Wednesday I was hiking near Chabot Space & Science Center because a friend reported he heard the Pileated Woodpecker again.
Two springs ago, my husband also heard a Pileated Woodpecker at the entrance to Huckleberry Regional Botanic Preserve, along Skyline Blvd in Oakland. Perhaps spectacular woodpeckers will be the upside of Sudden Oak Death and other devastating tree diseases.
Debbie Viess
Mystery peep at San Leandro Marina
Wed, 11
Feb 2004 00:16:20 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Gail DeLalla:
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 02:13:18 EST
Subject: Mystery PeepTo all better birders than I:
This individual is an intriguing mystery and input from those of you more expert than I would be much appreciated. My thanks to those who responded to the earlier post with suggestions of Ruddy Turnstone or Spotted Sandpiper. I'm confident it's neither of these species. The San Leandro Marina is certainly producing its share of winter birding treasures.
Here's a description of the mystery bird:
- Location: San Leandro Marina
- Directions: Hwy 880 to Marina Blvd West; continue to last parking lot on right before road ends at traffic circle. Walk west and then north around the parcourse. Bird was on rocks at tideline between #9 and #10.
- Dates: I saw it on January 12 about 10 AM. Low tide was 8:26 AM
February 6 about 10 AM again. Low tide was 5:04 AM.- Behavior: Actively foraging on January 12 probing among rocks at tide line.
Resting with bill tucked in, and standing still and observant on February 6.
Solitary at both times. No interaction with other species.
Generally behaved like a shorebird, but minus the flocking behavior.
No teetering.
Short flights to nearby rocks if approached within 20 feet.
No vocalization.
Never moved uphill onto grass, but remained on rocks and moved to higher rocks as tide came in and covered its legs.- Size: 6 to 8 inches. It's always difficult to judge size, but I saw a Least Sandpiper walk by on January 12 and the subject seemed a bit larger and today a Spotted Sandpiper was nearby and the subject was definitely smaller.
- Distinctive field marks: yellow orange legs and feet that reminded me of the orange on a Clark's Grebe bill versus the duller yellow on a Western Grebe or the feet of a Least Sandpiper. The color here is what caught my eye initially and nothing in my field guides match this. The second distinctive field mark is the bill which is orange and black. It's black at the base and at the tip with orange in between on the maxilla and probably black on the mandible. Bill is straight with a possible slight droop at the tip. Again, I can't find this pattern in any of my field guides. The wings were white when it took a short flight to nearby rocks. The rest of the bird is the more typical brownish-gray of winter shorebirds.
- Crown: brownish gray and mottled
- Supercilium: none
- Lores: white
- Auriculars: brown
- Malar Stripe: none
- Throat: white
- Breast: white
- Side: upper with a faint brown wash
- Flanks: white
- Belly: white
- Tibial feathers: white
- Vent: white
- Mantle: mottled brown
- Nape: mottled brown
The overall impression is of an extremely white small peep.
I'm not very good at describing plumage and can't tell the juvenile vs. adult plumage in shorebirds. Still so much to learn!
It appears to be either a rarity not in any of my field guides or a hybrid or a partial albino.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Many thanks.
Gail DeLalla
Moraga
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley
Hills
Thu, 12 Feb 104 18:47:54 PST
From: Patrick King
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has continued behind the Visitor�s Center at the Tilden Park Nature Area (Berkeley Hills). It continues in the same tree as earlier reported, just to the left of the hay stacks. The tree is now covered with sapsucker holes at the 40- to 50-foot level. A spotting scope shows hints of red on the crown and throat. A Red-breasted Sapsucker is also frequenting this tree, as is a Townsend�s Warbler. On Jewel Lake, a male Ring-necked Duck has been there since (at least) Monday, when there were two. At Little Farm, cute little baby piggies continue for the 7th straight day.
Patrick King
Martinez / Berkeley
Original Message Subject Index
Photos of mystery peep at San Leandro Shoreline
Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:29:08 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Johan Langewis:
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 17:52:23 -0800
Attached are photos taken last Friday when Gail DeLalla refound the mystery shorebird. One of the people had a digital camera that was held up to the spotting scope. The photos are OK quality, and we were unable to get a good side shot, but you can see the face and bill.
Johan Langewis
Posted to EBB by Larry Tunstall
I compressed the photos for quick download,
so the quality has suffered somewhat.
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Mystery peep at San Leandro Shoreline
Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:38:58 -0800
From: Roy McCandless
I took the liberty of forwarding your URL to usenet "rec.birds". You can view responses under the subject: "Mystery Bird on Eastern San Francisco Bay Shoreline".
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Photos of mystery peep at San Leandro Shoreline
Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:44:45 -0800
From: Gary Baker
That is the mystery peep I saw and described in my January 15 message.
Can't wait to hear what it is. Thanks for the great photos. I have been watching for it again every week since I saw it.
Gary
Original Message Next Reply Subject Index
Re: Photos of mystery peep at San Leandro Shoreline
Thu, 12 Feb 2004 22:56:35 -0800
From: Joseph Morlan
It looks like a partial albino Least Sandpiper to me.
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
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