[EBB Sightings] Contra Costa Big Day 4/20

Hi all,
Yesterday, 4/20, Denise Wight and I did a Big Day in
Contra Costa County. Despite the fact that it was far
too windy for a perfect big day, we managed to eke out
169 species, just 6 short of the record set last year.
Highlights (and lowlights) include:

Just one owl before dawn: A Great Horned Owl.

At Inspiration Point at dawn: Usual cast of characters
including Band-tailed Pigeon, numerous Olive-sided
Flycatchers, Red-breasted and Pygmy nuthatches, Winter
Wren, MacGillivray's Warbler.

Along the Richmond Shoreline we had a single
Red-throated and Common Loons, several Horned Grebes
in breeding plumage, continuing Long-tailed Duck just
outside of the Richmond Marina, single male Black
Scoter continuing inside the marina, Pelagic
Cormorant, Red Knots, and 8 Least Terns seen from just
south of Meeker Slough in the company of Caspian and
Forster's Terns. I'm pretty sure there was a Black
Skimmer on Brooks Is. but couldn't be sure.

A male Hooded Oriole called conspicuously from the
willows across San Pablo Ave. from the Nation's
Burgers in Tara Hills.

Mcnabney Marsh had the expected dabbling ducks and
grackles.

Mitchell and White canyons on Mt. Diablo were modestly
birdy in the mid-afternoon. We had numerous Calliope
Hummingbirds in the blooming black sage in White
Canyon, as well as two really cool Horned Lizards.
Also, 2 Hammond's FLycatchers, all 3 vireos,
Nashville, Townsend's and Black-throated Gray
warblers, and a Chipping Sparrow at the top of White
Canyon.

Marsh Creek Res. was dull except for calling Common
Moorhen, Tricolored Blackbird, Swainson's Hawk and a
pair of Golden Eagles.

At Iron House Sanitary in Oakley the Bonaparte's Gulls
greeted us in their finest duds, but it was slow
overall. We did add Lesser Scaup, Northern Harrier and
American Pipit.

At the north end of Bethel Is. Rd. we had an Osprey.

Highlight of the day was on Jersey Island Rd. where we
had a Solitary Sandpiper in the ditch on the right
side of the road. From Cypress Rd. turn north on
Jersey Island Rd. After passing over the large bridge,
drive slowly and keep an eye on the ditch. 

The Yellow-billed Magpies were at their normal haunts
near the school on Delta Rd.

Around Byron Hot Springs we got a Burrowing Owl late
in the evening for only our 2nd owl of the day.

Misses (some of which may not have arrived yet)
included Wood Duck, Green Heron, both accipiters,
Short-billed Dowitcher, Barn, Western Screech and
Northern Saw-whet owls, Black-chinned Hummingbird,
Hermit Warbler, Chat, Blue Grosbeak, Sage Sparrow.

Good birding, 
Steve Glover
Dublin