Knots and terns
Mon, 10 May 1999 14:43:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: Emilie
Today at the Albany Mudflat (Buchanan St. corner, Alameda County) at about 7:30 AM there were 40 Red Knots in alternative plumage, as well as good numbers of waders for this time of year (800+) representing almost a dozen species. This area is at its best for shorebirds just before or after a tide of 4.5.
On Saturday there were 3 to 5 Least Terns just north of the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza (aka Duck Blind Marsh).
Mines, San Antonio Valley, and Del Puerto
Roads
Date: 10 May 99 16:55:02 -0700
From: Les Chibana
On Saturday, 5/8/99, I took another group from my birding class on the Mines Road route, travelling through Alameda, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus Counties. We did not stop at Del Valle Regional Park. The sunny and mild weather was in pleasing contrast to the previous weekend's cold, drizzly weather. While we had fewer species seen this weekend (70 compared to 80), we had some great views of some birds and saw some that were not found the previous weekend.
The highlights:
Mines Road, Alameda County:Murrietta Wells Winery - Great Horned Owls, 3 nestlings were visible, both adults were present. 2 pairs of Wood Ducks, one pair was perched in a tree near a nest box, but we didn't see them associating with it. One female American Goldfinch (Lesser Goldfinch were more prevalent).Milepost 4.22 (approximate) just south of Del Valle Rd. - 1 to 2 Western Wood-Pewee were heard, not seen. One male Phainopepla was seen here, as were a pair of Western Tanager.
MP 4.7 (approximate) just past the bridge - Northern Rough-winged Swallow carrying nesting material uphill. The first of 4 to 5 Golden Eagles for the day was seen here (2 seen in Alameda County).
MP 6.26 - One singing male Lazuli Bunting.
San Antonio Valley Road, Santa Clara County:
Fire station and the Junction - approximately 8 Lawrence's Goldfinches were seen and heard; 4 foraged on the fiddleneck at the edge of the parking area at the Junction, a couple more were on the foothill pines in front of the cyclone fence around the school next to the fire station. An Osprey circled over the cattle guard area at lunchtime (where's the water?)Two Lewis' Woodpeckers were at the 19-mile road mark south of the Junction. Ted Chandik's group saw another one about 0.5 mile further south, but we can't be sure if it was a different bird than we had seen.
Del Puerto Road, Stanislaus County:
One female Wood Duck in a very open part of the stream near the roadside and next to grassland, mileage not noted.MP 10.4 - One displaying male Black-chinned Hummingbird. It performed a pendulum display flight about 15 to 20 feet in diameter that appeared like a semi-circle rather than a deep-V. Following the bird in flight, I saw that the gorget was abbreviated as in a Black-chinned and I got a purple flash. The upper breast just below the gorget was bright white, as on Black-chinned. I didn't hear it give the "tchew" vocalization, but I did hear a flight call that sounded like "chuppety-chup", kind of like the call described for Allen's; this was definitely not a Selasphorus, however. I've reviewed Art Edward's documents and saw that Black-chins are seen as "occasional" migrants in the Canyon.
We also found a singing male Lazuli Bunting, and a singing Canyon Wren in this location.
MP 4.0 (approximate), at the large pockmarked rock outcrop - a Rock Wren, Loggerhead Shrike, American Kestrels (actually a very scarce bird for the day). A hundred feet east of here, I saw a hummer briefly that was in a location of a Costa's in years past. Then, at the same location as last week (about 3.8 miles west of I-5), we found a male Costa's Hummingbird that perched about 12 feet away from us. Great view!
At about 1.5 miles west of I-5, we saw one Burrowing Owl in the same location as last weekend. And about 0.25 to 0.5 mile further east, we saw 3 more Burrowing Owl, all at the same burrow about 75 yards north of the road. We also saw several Horned Larks in this general vicinity.
Western Kingbirds were abundant, especially in the last 5 miles of Del Puerto Rd. A rough guess of the numbers that we saw on Saturday would be 30+. At one point there were about 8 lined up along a fenceline. Bright male Bullock's Orioles were also plentiful and continued to amazed us with their color.
Les
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Les Chibana, Palo Alto
Coyote Hills: Black-throated Gray Warbler
Mon, 10 May 1999 19:47:32 PDT
From: Bill Scoggins
Hello Coyote Hills Bird Watchers and friends,
Today I received the following report from Mark Peterson. Thanks, Mark.
Happy birding,
Bill Scoggins
Subj: Coyote Hills 5/9
Date: 5/10/99 11:42:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: Mark PetersonI just thought I would send you a quick e-mail on a couple of birds I saw Sunday morning at Coyote Hills.
62 species total, 2 of note:
1 Black-throated Gray Warbler (in front of visitors center)
1 Peregrine FalconBoth were seen between 8 and 8:30 AM.
Great-tailed Grackles at Shadow Cliffs Regional
Park
Tue, 11 May 1999 06:15:16 -0700
From: Mike Feighner
East-Bay-Birders:
As many of you know, I check the Northern California BirdBox (415) 681-7422 daily in the earliest morning hours. That is not always be the best time although it's easier to get through at that time. Yesterday, a pair of Great-tailed Grackles were reported by George Bing from the Boat House at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park south of Stanley Blvd. midway between Livermore and Pleasanton. There is an entrance fee, but you can park along the south side of Stanley just west of the entrance and walk in. I am leaving a little later for work this morning as I would otherwise be driving by the park in the dark. I suspect (hope) the pair will still be there.
See
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/shadow.htm#Map
for map of the park. From I-680 exit at either Bernal or Sunol Blvd. and head east. Sunol will pass by Raley's Market (watch for Yellow-billed Magpies near the cemetery just before the market), and Bernal will meet Sunol Blvd. just north of Raley's Market. From Bernal turn left (north). Here Sunol Blvd. becomes First Street. Soon the street changes to Stanley and eventually heads east past the north end of the original Bernal, and the park is about a half mile further on the right. Or you can exit I-580 at Portola and make a right (south) on Murrietta and about a mile later turn right (west) at the Arco Station (you will have already passed under the railroad bridge) onto Stanley Blvd. The park is on the left after about another mile or so.
About this time last year a pair showed up on the San Benito/Santa Clara County line and actually nested there. Steve Glover has found one Great-tailed Grackle I think last year at Ironhouse in Contra Costa County, and Mike Moran reported a Common Grackle (or was it a Great-tailed Grackle?) from there a week or so ago. This is the first grackle report I have heard from Alameda County.
Hiking along the creek at the south side of the park, you will likely encounter Black-headed Grosbeaks and Bullock's Orioles. It a rather birdy under-birded location.
Below is a portion of Adam Winer's transcript regarding birds reported from Alameda County [also posted on EBBC website]. Also Adam is looking for one or more volunteers to transcribe the birdbox during his absence from June 3rd to June 29th.
*************************************************************
Alameda County:
---------------
Today, May 10th, in Oakland, an OLDSQUAW was at the landward side of
Arrowhead Marsh. A GOLDEN EAGLE has been seen a few times here over
the past two weeks. (Courtenay Peddle)May 9th, a pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES were found near the boathouse
at Shadow Cliff, which is off Stanley Boulevard between Pleasanton and
Livemore. (Al Olivera fide George Bing) The pair was still present
today, May 10th. (George Bing)
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA
Reply #1 Reply #2 Subject List
RE: Great-tailed Grackles at Shadow Cliffs Regional
Park
Tue, 11 May 1999 09:23:01 -0700
From: Mike Feighner
East-Bay-Birders:
As of 7 AM this morning the pair of Great-tailed Grackles were present at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park in eastern Pleasanton in Alameda County. I was also able to confirm nesting as the female being followed around by the male is collecting nesting material. The grackles spend most of their time around the reeds just north of the boat house which is about 100 yards south of the concessions station at the south end of the parking lot. If you wish to avoid the $5 parking fee, you can park outside and walk in.
Mike Feighner
Original Message Next Reply Subject List
Re: Great-tailed Grackles at Shadow Cliffs Regional
Park
Tue, 11 May 1999 16:06:35 PDT
From: Steve Glover
Hello everyone,
For those of you who don't follow such things this is the first Alameda County nest record of Great-tailed Grackle although I'm sure it won't be the last. There have been quite a few spring records from Hayward Regional Shoreline including a singing male this year but this is the first nesting confirmation.
Steve Glover