Swainson's Thrush in Oakland Hills yard
Sun,
16 May 2004 10:33:32 -0700
From: Johan Langewis
I have a pair of Swainson's Thrush singing in and near my yard in the Oakland hills. I have only heard this thrush once before (only one call) in May 1992 (we moved here in 1991). To have a pair singing here is very unusual, but that is not the only difference here. This is the first year that I do not have an Olive-sided Flycatcher in the area. Over the years many large trees have been removed from the neighborhood which may have reduced the attractiveness for the Olive-sided Flycatcher. The area is more open, which may also explain the year round presence of the Lesser Goldfinch that was rare a few years ago. Many other breeders are carrying on as before, resulting in my feeder being swamped with fledgling Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and California Towhees. There seem to be a lot of Anna's Hummingbirds and Allen's Hummingbirds as well.
Johan Langewis
Oakland
Sunol Regional Wilderness
Sun, 16 May 2004
19:25:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bob Power
Hi all:
Highlights of today's Oakland Bird Club outing to Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol:
Numerous of the above.
What a pretty day; what a gorgeous park.
Good birding,
Bob Power
Cooper's Hawks in Pleasanton
Sun, 16 May 2004
21:12:39 -0700
From: Rich Cimino
In 2003 I had nesting Cooper's Hawks in the trees area behind the Pleasanton Swim Center in a grove of alders, which is fenced off from public access. The center is on Black Ave off of Santa Rita Rd. This spring as recent as this past week I have had adult Cooper's Hawk flying into the same grove. I have not been able to find the nest. Friday evening at 6:22 PM as I was leaving my home two crows chased an immature Cooper's Hawk over my driveway.
Rich Cimino
Pleasanton
Golden Eagle over Oakland yard
Sun, 16 May
2004 22:08:34 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
I am forwarding this message to the list for Mark Rauzon:
Sun, 16 May 2004 20:59:53 PDT
A new yard bird is always a treat but today I saw one I have long anticipated: A Golden Eagle flew high over my yard space off Park Blvd in Oakland. Hurray!
Also I was down at Lake Merritt last week and counted 150 Double-crested Cormorant nests, some with chicks about to fledge. Last year there were 80 nests. The trees are dying and I guess Great Egrets will have to find another place to nest, although Black-crowned Night-Herons and Snowy Egrets look to be doing well.
Mark Rauzon
Forwarded to EBB by Larry Tunstall
Sunol Regional Wilderness
Mon, 17 May 2004
10:07:10 -0700
From: Frano
It was a gorgeous day at the park. The Red-shouldered Hawk has 3 young in the nest. One looks to be ready to fledge in the nest couple of weeks.
I saw a strange thing from a Golden Eagle. It was soaring along the ridge line, came up to a tree and looked as though it was going to land. It then hesitated for a second, reached down and bit a small branch off and kept flying with this branch, leaves and all toward another tree. I lost sight of it there, but was wondering if it was doing a repair to it's nest, which must be close by, or was it building one. At this late date I didn't feel that was likely. Any thoughts on this behavior?
Frano
Mines Road, southeast of Livermore
Mon, 17
May 2004 21:15:57 -0700
From: Les Chibana
Hi, I'm reporting on two trips this weekend in northeastern Santa Clara County, into parts of southeastern Alameda and western Stanislaus Counties. [Editor's Note: The Alameda County reports are archived here. For the other counties, see the archives of South Bay Birding and Stanislaus County Birds.]
Saturday May 15, I took a group from my Palo Alto Baylands birding class on a route over Mt Hamilton and into San Antonio Valley to the northeastern reaches of Santa Clara County. It was cool with a high overcast until we got past Mt. Hamilton where it became clear and warm.
. . .
On the way out along San Antonio Valley Rd / Mines Rd, still in Santa Clara County, Lisa Myers bagged the bird of the day, a Northern Pygmy-Owl that flew ahead of the cars and landed in a tree at roadside. Everyone enjoyed long views of this petite ball of talons.
In Alameda County, Lisa once again provided a nice birding experience showing us a Golden Eagle nest that she had located on a recent trip. At least two well-developed nestlings with only fuzzy heads were in the nest being tended by their parents. This was right at mile marker 10 where there's a large turnout. The nest is across the valley below eye-level in a gray pine.
Sunday May 16, I took another group from my birding class down Mines Rd in Alameda County, into San Antonio Valley in Santa Clara County, and finishing on Del Puerto Canyon Rd in Stanislaus County.
In Alameda County, we had Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Phainopepla at the "Sticky Monkeyflower Corner" between miles 5 and 6. At mile post 6.74, as previously reported, a Greater Roadrunner sunned on a rock uphill from the road. We checked in on the eagle nest at mile 10. ...
. . .
Les Chibana, Palo Alto