Re: Steller's Jay
Wed, 28 Oct 1998 11:31:45
From: Graham J Etherington
I followed last weeks debate about Stellers Jays with some interest. As a newcomer to the area, I was unaware of the normal rarity of Steller's Jay. When I moved from England to UC Berkeley in August this year, I would never have guessed that Steller's Jay was rare.
On the UC Berkeley campus they are literally everywhere and far outnumber Scrub Jay. Tom Condit mentioned that he seemed to find them in open creek areas and I would concur with this sugestion, although this may be due to the fact that the creeks provide the densest habitat for the birds to forage in.
Good birding,
Graham Etherington
UC Berkeley
Next Reply Original Message Subject List
Re: Steller's Jay
Wed, 28 Oct 1998 13:09:13 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I certainly wouldn't say that Steller's Jays are rare in the East Bay. They are listed as common to abundant in most checklists for the area. You certainly will see numbers of them on any visit to one of the Regional Parks along the hilltops east of Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland.
In my experience, however, they come down the hills into the urban areas only about as far as you get the visual impression of houses nestled in a forest. When things begin to look like a residential neighborhood with scattered trees, you usually cease to see Steller's Jays, with the Western Scrub-Jays becoming the dominant jay species.
The gist of the messages in this thread was that many people this year had noticed the Steller's Jays coming a bit farther into the suburban environment than they have in years past.
By the way, the Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds says that Steller's Jays are "common in coniferous forests of West... but shy in open woods." However, they also say that "in winter, family groups descend from mountains to lowlands and often invade backyards, where [they] eat scratch feed, and sunflower seeds in bird feeders; ... in winter, makes some irruptive flights out into desert in Ariz."
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
http://www.best.com/~folkbird/
Next Reply Original Message Subject List
Re: Steller's Jay
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 17:09:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Tom Condit
At least one guide I've read said that Steller's Jays were only found "above 1500 feet," which certainly has never been the case around here. They do seem to be coming a lot lower this year.
Next Reply Original Message Subject List
Budget Cuts at Hayward Shoreline nature center
Fri, 30 Oct 1998 15:49:39 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I just received a letter from the naturalists at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center on Breakwater Ave near the east end of the San Mateo Bridge. (Although this center is located at the edge of the Hayward Regional Shoreline, the center is not an [East Bay Regional Park District] facility, but is operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.) The naturalists write that their newsletter Tidal Tales is switching to a quarterly schedule. They go on to say:
As a result of [sudden and unforeseen] budget cuts, the staff will no longer be providing interpretive programming every Saturday and Sunday.... Additionally, the Interpretive Center will now be closed all day Monday and Tuesday until further notice. We realize that this closure will greatly inconvenience those of you who use the trail on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we no longer have the staff support to keep the building open six days a week, produce a bi-monthly newsletter, and maintain the same number of weekend weekend programs we've regularly produced over the last 12 years.... Our goal is to continue to provide interesting and diverse programs, even if it's in a more limited fashion than we would prefer. We will continue to pursue our goal, to the best of our ability, given our fiscal constraints.
This means, of course, that no restrooms will be available at the southern end of Hayward Shoreline on Monday or Tuesday. Plan ahead!
Good birding,
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
http://www.best.com/~folkbird/
Las Gallinas Sewer Ponds
Sat, 31 Oct 1998 19:38:21 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Bob Lewis forwards the results of the Albany Adult School class trip to Las Gallinas today (Oct 31). I know that the birds were not in the East Bay, but they were East Bay birders, so I'll pass it along. For those who don't know, Las Gallinas is north of San Rafael (from Hwy 101 turn east on Smith Ranch Rd, and then go left just before entering the John F. McInnis County Park; continue left of the sewage plant headquarters building to a small parking lot). Bob says: "Quite successful per seeing a number of birds very well and in the scope. Odd that there were NO shorebirds, not even a single Killdeer. Missed Red-tail too." Here's the list:
Pied-billed Grebe 18, Western & Clark's Grebes (1 each, excellent side-by-side study), American White Pelican 25, Double-crested Cormorant 30, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 8, Snowy Egret 6, Black-crowned Night-Heron 50, Greater White-fronted Goose 2, Canada Goose 75, Mallard 200, Pintail 4, American Shoveler 70, Gadwall 40, American Wigeon 40, Canvasback 1, Ring-necked Duck 7, scaup sp 2, Ruddy Duck 35, Turkey Vulture 4 (great close study of one on fence), White-tailed Kite 2 (hovering, stooping), Northern Harrier 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Kestrel 3, Sora 1 (well-seen by all), Virginia Rail (heard), American Coot 200, Ring-billed Gull 30, Forster's Tern 5, Belted Kingfisher 1, Black Phoebe 4, American Crow 120, Marsh Wren (heard), Loggerhead Shrike 2, European Starling 20, Yellow-rumped Warbler 5, Common Yellowthroat (heard), California Towhee 2, Savannah Sparrow 12 (well seen, variety of plumages), Song Sparrow 4, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, White-crowned Sparrow 30, Red-winged Blackbird 800, Brewer's Blackbird 15, Western Meadowlark 35 (several studied in scope), House Finch 15, American Goldfinch 4
Posted to EBbird by Larry Tunstall