Mitchell Canyon, Mount Diablo State Park
Thu, 15 Apr 1999 14:24:45 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello East Bay Birders,
This morning I birded Mitchell Canyon at Mount Diablo State Park, hoping that some migrants had dropped in. Overall it was slow but there were a few migrants. Even the summer residents seemed to be in relatively low numbers for this date. Of birds that stay the summer to nest I had 5 singing Warbling Vireos, 10 Orange-crowned Warblers (5 of them singing), only one House Wren, one Bullock's Oriole, one Cassin's Vireo (typical here), one Black-headed Grosbeak, and one Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
The few migrants were as follows: Wilson's Warbler (3), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1), Nashville Warbler (1), Black-throated Gray Warbler (1), MacGillivray's Warbler (1 gorgeous male), and one Hammond's Flycatcher. The Hammond's Flycatcher was calling often at the turnoff to Red Road. Listen for the sharp "pic" call.
Other birds of interest included a Cooper's Hawk yammering from near the nest site of the past few years, just a short distance from the parking lot, White-throated Swift, Purple Finch, and a singing Hermit Thrush. The song of Hermit Thrush alone is worth the price of admission.
Speaking of the price of admission.... As most of you know, you can no longer park on the entrance road to avoid the fee. The entire road has been posted "No Parking." You must now put $2 into a machine that takes one dollar bills or quarters.
Steve Glover
Tilden Regional Park Nature Area
Thu, 15 Apr 1999 18:17:03 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
A lovely morning in Tilden Regional Park Nature Area this morning. Alan Kaplan's birdwalk went from the Environmental Education Center to Jewel Lake, with a few sidetrips near the lake. We saw active nests of Steller's Jay, Bushtit, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee, as well as apparently mated pairs of Downy Woodpecker and Warbling Vireo (the latter giving us great looks at close range).
Highlight of the walk was a Black-throated Gray Warbler just above our heads along Wildcat Creek Trail on the way back to the EEC. Lots of Wilson's Warblers and Warbling Vireos were singing, and one Orange-crowned Warbler was still (desperately?) singing. However, we heard no Black-headed Grosbeaks, which would normally be setting up territories in Tilden by this date. It seemed to be the general opinion of Kaplan and birders in the group that most migrating birds (and blooming plants) are running about 2 weeks late this year.
Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Mallard, Cooper's Hawk, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher (heard), Black Phoebe, Hutton's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, (heard), Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (heard), American Robin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Spotted Towhee (heard), California Towhee, Song Sparrow (heard), Dark-eyed Junco
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Reply #1 Reply #2 Reply #3 Subject List
Black-headed Grosbeaks at Tilden
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 07:34:55 -0700
From: Larry Tunstall
In my report yesterday on the morning birdwalk at Tilden Nature Area, I wrote:
we heard no Black-headed Grosbeaks, which would normally be setting up territories in Tilden by this date.
David Lai responded:
Larry,There was at least one Black-headed Grosbeak at Tilden today. I went on the walk with you but had to leave the group early. I heard one near the boardwalk on my way back to my car. Then saw one on top of the tallest pine tree near the nature center (the same bird?). I went to my car to get my scope and watched him sing for a few minutes before he flew away. The wind made it a little bit harder to hear birds today. There were some strong wind gusts, because when I got home, I found that a tree in my backyard had fallen over. Luckily it fell in the direction where it didn't damage anything.
Alan Kaplan had told us that ranger Dave Zuckermann thought he had heard a Black-headed Grosbeak singing early in the week, but Alan had concluded that he must be wrong after not hearing any for a couple of days (because the males usually show up in a group and quickly begin singing on territory). So it now appears that Dave was correct - at least one Black-headed Grosbeak is back at Tilden.
All we have to do now is figure out why they're revealing themselves only to Davids! :)
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
Black-headed Grosbeak in Berkeley
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 12:23:58 -0700
From: Kay Loughman
I had a Black-headed Grosbeak at my feeder this morning. First of the season.
Kay Loughman
Berkeley
Piper Slough and odds and ends
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 13:57:50 PDT
From: Steve Glover
East Bay Birders,
This morning I went out to Piper Slough in eastern Contra Costa County to see if the slight weather change had brought in any migrants. In terms of numbers there was not an awful lot but a few were interesting. The highlight was definitely a male Lawrence's Goldfinch that circled overhead a couple of times before heading off. It was giving its distinctive tinkle call. This is the first record for Piper Slough and eastern Contra Costa County. Looking through the records for the East Bay this appears to be a typical date for a migrant. Other migrants included 2 Wilson's Warblers, a male Rufous Hummingbird heading north, 2 "Oregon" Dark-eyed Juncos (scarce out there), 2 Savannah Sparrows (inexplicably rare there despite being common in nearby areas), and an Osprey heading north. A female Hooded Oriole was in a palm near the end of the road. Please do everything possible not to disturb the neighbors when looking for the orioles. Winter birds are disappearing quickly with just one each of Fox Sparrow and Lincoln's Sparrow. Pied-billed Grebe and Double-crested Cormorant numbers have also dropped dramatically the past week or so. There was a lone Cattle Egret along Byron Highway and 11 Whimbrel at Clifton Court Forebay.
As far as Black-headed Grosbeak arrival dates, the earliest date I have found for the East Bay is March 26th but I would imagine there are earlier dates that I don't have. Hopefully with more and more people reporting birds to this group we will have more of these dates.
Good birding,
Steve Glover
Black-headed Grosbeaks in El Sobrante
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 15:58:27 -0400
From: Nick Story
Hey, Gang--
I've had Black-headed Grosbeaks singing their fool heads off in my yard and vicinity, starting today.
Nick Story, El Sobrante
Grackle in Contra Costa
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:18:51 PDT
From: Steve Glover
East Bay Birders,
I got a message on my answering machine today stating that there is a Common Grackle at the little park at the base of the Antioch Bridge [Antioch Regional Shoreline]. Actually, now that I listen to it again, it was there "a couple of days ago." It is much more likely, based on location and timing, that this bird is a Great-tailed Grackle but it could conceivably be a Common. I have not yet talked to the observor to find out how he eliminated Great-tailed as they are similar. It should be noted that all records of Common Grackle for California have been of the "bronzy" race versicolor, meaning that a male would have a bronzy cast to the body, quite unlike Great-tailed Grackle. Either way, I won't be able to get over there again until tomorrow so if anyone has time this afternoon you might want to check it out. If this is Great-tailed it would be just the third county record (there was one last spring at Iron House).
Steve Glover