[EBB Sightings] Mitchell Canyon Phainopepla

I spent most of yesterday, July 14, around Mt. Diablo.

My first stop was Diablo Foothills Regional Park, where I saw a
Cooper's Hawk repeatedly catching a squirrel in the parking lot along
Castle Rock Rd. I then proceeded to Castle Rock Regional Recreation
Area, but I didn't see anything unusual there despite hiking to the
second creek crossing.

In the afternoon, I drove to the other side of Mt. Diablo, to Mitchell
Canyon, where I found the Phainopeplas that Denise Wight reported on
June 30. I'm not very familiar with Mt. Diablo State Park, but I do
not believe that the area where I saw them is White Canyon. It was
along the Mitchell Rock Trail. There is a lookout point along the
trail with a wide view of the valley, including the parking lot. All
three Phainopeplas were at that point. There were two males and one
female, in separate trees. The female and one of the males didn't stay
in one place very long, but the other male stayed in one tree (the
tall one to the left) for practically the entire time I was there,
which was more than 30 minutes.

I have a few photos here:
http://www.pbase.com/garrettlau/recentbirds

Garrett Lau