[EBB Sightings] Spotted Sandpiper and Yellow Warblers at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont

A fine early fall afternoon at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont (Paseo Padre at Stevenson) yielded some unexpected sightings.  "Coolest birds" were the spot-less (immature) SPOTTED SANDPIPER teetering up and down on the muddy bank of "New Marsh"  (the small pond on the northeast side of the lake), two LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES (they nest here; today one was hunting from atop a tree on the north side of the lake, another was hunting from atop a pole near the tree swallow boxes on the east side of New Marsh), and three YELLOW WARBLERS (two in the trees across the street from the back of the boat house, one in a tree at the north end of the swimming lagoon). 
   
  Two American kestrels, a male and female, were hunting from trees and poles in the picnic area north of New Marsh.  A single black-necked stilt was in New Marsh (stilts are not usually here) with a group of northern shovelers.
   
  More shovelers were on the lake, along with ruddy ducks, Canada geese, mallards (& hybrids and at least one Muscovy duck), coots, ring-billed and California gulls, double-crested cormorant, and pied-billed grebes. On the shoreline: killdeer, Brewer's blackbirds (most abundant bird seen), red-winged blackbirds, black phoebes, rock pigeons... In the trees: Anna's hummingbirds, mourning doves, crows, bushtits, mockingbirds, robins, scrub jays, song sparrows.  Circling overhead: turkey vultures. 
   
  Bird Island's heron and egret nests are empty at last. A single great egret perched on a branch, and a black-crowned night heron rested on the bank.
   
  Stephanie Floyd

       
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