Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland Hills
Tue, 16 Mar 2004 07:34:00 -0800
From: Debbie Viess
Spring has sprung at Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland hills. Had nice views yesterday of singing Orange-crowned Warblers and Hutton's Vireos. Best of show was four separate sightings of Golden Eagles ... one close overhead (showing a nicely balanced molt of secondaries), two separate sightings of birds perched across the canyon, on the power towers at Round Top in Sibley, and one of a bird being harassed by a pair of Red-tailed Hawks.
With the spicy scent of pink flowering currant perfuming the air, it was a fine showing for my traditional birthday hike at my favorite East Bay park.
Debbie Viess
Three new Amtrak birds
Tue, 16 Mar 2004 19:09:23
-0800
From: Rusty Scalf
I went to Sacramento today for all-day meetings; Left Emeryville on the 7:55 AM train . The Suisun marshes were full of birds; Lots of dabblers, tall waders, raptors, and a flock of 35 American White Pelicans. There were remarkable numbers of both Snow Egrets and Great Egrets. I wonder what their story is; Are these egrets wintering? They can't all be from local rookeries, can they?
I added three species to my Amtrak list! On the way to Sacramento, American Bittern and Burrowing Owl. The latter was flushed by the train, landed on a berm and looked back at us as we sped by. Very cute. But the bird of the day was on the way home; Two Black Terns! This is a species I have not seen in quite a while and never from a train. Saw these at about 5:30 PM. [But see next message.]
I wish the meetings had been as interesting as the commute.
Rusty Scalf
Maybe not Black Terns from Amtrak
Wed, 17
Mar 2004 07:49:40 -0800
From: Rusty Scalf
This is truly embarrassing, but I think I need to 'shelve' the Black Tern sightings I thought I had from the train yesterday. The two seemed quite dark and quite swallow-like to me, but I may have jumped to conclusions. I have been looking over Black Tern migration data and the date would be early in the extreme. So this one goes into the suspense file.
Rusty Scalf
Original Message Subject Index
Garin Regional Park, Hayward
Wed, 17 Mar 2004
08:46:25 -0800
From: Frano
Sunday's hike took us along the Vista Loop Trail up behind Cal State Hayward in Garin Regional Park. In the trail on the way to the top, a pair of Horned Larks casually working the grasses for bugs and seed. I was able to walk to within 10 feet or so, before they flew a very short distance and sat in the trail as I approached again. They did keep their horns down unfortunately, but it's the first time I have seen this species here. Is it a common sighting?
good birding
Frano
Re: Garin Regional Park, Hayward
Wed, 17 Mar
2004 15:23:01 -0800
From: Debbie Wong
Frano wrote:
... it's the first time I have seen this species here. Is it a common sighting?
I have multiple sightings of Horned Larks in Garin Regional Park over the last 2 years but all sightings had been in trails above the cemetery on Mission Blvd where I usually walk.
My sightings span from January to April. I drastically cut down my bird walks in Garin in summer due to heat and the lack of shade. So the birds may still be there beyond April.
Debbie Wong
Original Message Subject Index
Jean Richmond's Birding Northern California
Thu, 18 Mar 2004 09:05:16 PST
From: Steve Glover
Hi all,
A couple of people have expressed interest in acquiring a copy of Jean Richmond's site guide entitled Birding Northern California. Published in 1985, it has been out of print for quite a while and Mt Diablo Audubon Society no longer has any copies. As I mentioned, the book is still excellent (even though a few sites no longer exist or have access, and some directions have changed) and it includes dozens of sites in the East Bay.
For those who are interested, go to www.bookfinder.com and type in Richmond in the author box and Birding Northern California in the title box. I did that this morning and there are copies available for as little as $5.
Good birding,
Steve Glover
Dublin
Wild Turkey in urban Walnut Creek
Thu, 18
Mar 2004 11:23:32 -0800
From: Ted Robertson
At 8:00 AM today (March 18), I spotted a female Wild Turkey running down First Ave just east of Larkey Park in Walnut Creek. This is the first time that I've heard of a turkey being reported for this urban area. This urban area is packed with 3 to 4 houses per acre. A fun note, male turkeys will gobble in response to hearing a car horn honk. I've used this funny technique in the past to locate the males.
Good Birding, Ted
Ted Robertson
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California
Berkeley, CA
A Contra Costa County birding day
Thu, 18
Mar 2004 15:52:28 -0800
From: Bob Dunn
Greetings,
I birded Contra Costa County yesterday. I started in the morning at the Bay Trail between the end of S 51st St and Meeker Slough in Richmond. At a pond on the inland side shortly before the slough, the 9 or so Wilson's Snipe previously reported continue at the lumber pile. The next pond area had many Semipalmated Plovers. On the bay side of the trail, there were at least two Whimbrels still among the many shorebirds. On the rock wall going out into the bay were 2 Black Oystercatchers and a single Snowy Plover among the many Black-bellied Plovers. After there, I went to Tilden Regional Park where I struck out with the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker but did find my first Warbling Vireo of the year. There were a pair of Wood Ducks in Las Trampas Creek along Olympic Blvd just west of Pleasant Hill Rd off Hwy 24. I failed to find the Hooded Mergansers reported at Hidden Lakes in Martinez. Maybe high noon on a warm day is not the time to look for them? There are still some Great-tailed Grackles and a pair of Blue-winged Teal at McNabney Marsh in Martinez. Along Delta Rd near Knightsen there were 11 Cattle Egrets, 4 Burrowing Owls and a Yellow-billed Magpie. And my final stop was at Clifton Court Forebay where the Snow Bunting does still continue there. I had it at 4:00. It was a beautiful day to bird and I ended with 118 species despite many misses.
Bob Dunn
San Leandro