List mom on vacation
Wed, 5 Aug 1998 20:08:15 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
I'm going to be away for three weeks starting tomorrow. Thus far, the list has functioned fine on automatic pilot, so I think I'll just leave it unattended and assume that all will be well. You can still post messages and use any of the commands to the automated list program. However, I won't get messages posted onto the website until I return.
Hoping to add several new lifebirds as we travel to Ohio and Mississippi and back. I hope you have a great month here also.
Best wishes,
Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Re: Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Thu, 6 Aug 1998 12:40:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tom Condit
Also, although this will do absolutely no good for a single bird in a museum (alive or dead), they have somewhat different songs and slightly different nesting cycles.
Joseph Morlan wrote:
Steve Glover wrote:Does anyone know a good source for the separation of eastern and western? I have no idea how to tell them apart.See "A Reassessment of the taxonomic status of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo" by Franzreb and Laymon (Western Birds 24:17-28, 1993).
Also a complex formula which separates 75 to 90% of known sex birds is on page 56 of Identification Guide to North American Birds - Part I by Peter Pyle (1997 Slate Creek Press).
Wandering Tattler
Sun, 9 Aug 1998 20:43:36 PDT
From: Steve Glover
East Bay Birders,
This morning we made a quick stop at the Richmond Marina to scope Brooks
Is[land]. The fog and chilly winds drove us out after about 10 minutes but
we did manage a few birds. There were 2 Common Loons in the marina, 1 ad[ult]
and 1 win[ter] plumage bird. This is apparently a new high summer count for
the county. The breakwater at the mouth of the harbor had a Black Oystercatcher
and a Wandering Tattler. The birds on and near the island resisted identification
because of fog and heatwaves. To get to this spot exit I-580 at Marina Bay
Parkway and go west (left). Turn right on Regatta. Go all the way to the
T intersection and go left. Turn into the lot for the harbormasters
office and park. Walk along the edge of the harbor to the bay. A scope is
an absolute must here and early morning light is much preferable.
Steve Glover
What I saw on my summer vacation -
NOTE: Not about the East Bay
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 10:09:59 -0700
From: Rebecca Freed
Apologies in advance if this is not an OK use of this mailing list.
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Bald Eagle
Aleutian Terns
Bank Swallow
Glaucous-winged Gulls
Common Murres
Common Loon
Common Redpoll
Pine Grosbeak
Alder Flycatcher
Hermit Thrush
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Lesser Yellowlegs
Trumpeter SwanKachemak Bay, Alaska
Horned Puffins
Tufted Puffins
Pigeon Guillemots
Black-legged Kittiwakes
Glaucous-winged Gulls
Varied Thrush
Pine Siskins
Three-toed Woodpecker
Steller's Jay (very vocal juvenile)
Black-billed Magpie
Fox SparrowDenali National Park, Alaska Gray Jay
Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon subspecies
Dark-eyed Junco, slate-colored subspecies
White-Crowned Sparrow
Boreal Chickadee
Mew Gull
Long-tailed Jaeger
2 Golden Eagle chicks on nest
Cliff Swallows
Willow PtarmiganFjords National Park, Alaska
Black Oystercatcher
Rebecca Freed
Berkeley, CA
Question re: birding the Emeryville Crescent
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 10:13:02 -0700
From: Rebecca Freed
Where's the best access to the Emeryville Crescent? I'd like to get a better look at all the shorebirds I've seen from the freeway lately.
Reply #1 Reply #2 Reply #3 Subject List
Re: Question re: birding the Emeryville
Crescent
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 13:52:47 -0700
From: Kay Loughman
Becca,
Just drive straight down Powell Street, go under the freeway, and past the
Holiday Inn. Park on either side of the street. If you walk on down, toward
the fire station, you may see Turnstones in the rocks. If you walk even further
down - to the last row of apartments on Captain (?) drive, and over to the
north side of the Emeryville peninsula, you can find Spotted Sandpiper most
any time, and Wandering Tattler during migration.
Have fun!
Kay Loughman
Next Reply Original Message Subject List
Re: Question re: birding the Emeryville
Crescent
Mon, 17 Aug 1998 17:31:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tom Condit
I have 126 species on my Emeryville list from when I was working there for ten years. The fall shorebird migration should be starting by now, then later will be ducks, loons, grebes, etc. There was a path along the crescent south from Powell Street, but I think it's been destroyed by the freeway construction. South of Powell Street will be heavy concentrations of dowitchers, greater and lesser (rare) yellowlegs, both turnstones, sanderlings, spotted sandpiper, egrets, as well as kites, kestrels and occasional northern harriers. At the park at the end you'll get black-crowned night heron, red knot (rare), five species of grebe. Loons are out bayward (common) and in the marina area (pacific, arctic). Double-crested, pelagic and (occasional) brandt's cormorants are also here.
Except for a couple of weeks in July when it's a real drought, this is a great all-year birding area.
Tom C.
Next Reply Original Message Subject List
Re: Question re: birding the Emeryville
Crescent
Tue, 18 Aug 1998 04:48:53 PDT
From: Joseph Morlan
In addition to the Powell Street access, there is access to the southern part of the crescent from the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza. As you approach the plaza, stay in the right lane and follow the signs to the "radio stations." That should put you on a frontage road on the north side of the freeway. You can park along the frontage road and access the salt marsh through a few fishing access trails.
With a good scope, this can be a fantastic spot for roosting terns and shorebirds. There is a small point covered with weeds where you can view the exposed high tide roosts which are just to the north. Large numbers of Elegant Terns should be present now and in past years rarities such as Arctic Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, Golden Plover and Semipalmated Sandpiper have been seen there. Least Terns and Red Knots are frequently seen.
During the winter, high tides may force rails, including Clapper Rail from the marsh.
If you continue straight along the frontage road, you will get to an access point where you can scope the bay. During the winter, Oldsquaws and other rare ducks are sometimes seen there.
This area is noisy from freeway traffic and may be affected by constructions. There used to be "no trespassing" signs barring access out the road to the north which goes to the tall towers and the old duck club, but you can still see a lot from the public portions of the road.
For some reason, this area no longer receives the attention from birders
that it used to 10 or 20 years ago.
--
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044
SF Birding Classes begin Sept 9th
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan
California Bird Records Committee
http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc