[EBB Sightings] FOS Snow Geese

Did the weekly bike ride from Piedmont down to Coyote Hills and up Alameda Creek to the Fremont BART station. Though I joined the shoreline as the tide was well on it's way out I saw four Clapper Rails, one in full view in the channel at Garretson Point and the others at Arrowhead Point, two of them taking a short flight across the marsh.   Highlight of the day was probably one adult and two immature Snow Geese on radio tower hills with a flock of Canadian and Cackling Geese.  It was a good falcon day with one Peregrine, two Merlins and quite a few Kestrels. What I was hoping was a Prairie Falcon at Coyote Hills was probably a Merlin; the falcon was perched on one of the larger trees bordering the northern edge of the plowed area nearest Alameda Creek. The only reason I questioned whether it was a Merlin is that it's back wasn't solid as others I've seen.  

At Coyote Hills also saw the Golden Eagle perched on a tower just south of the entry kiosk.  Approaching the Quarry parking lot was a flock of about 25 White-throated Swifts.   The visitor center at Coyote Hills was very active with multiple Fox Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes. Heading down Alameda Creek east of HW880 there was a single Greater White-fronted Goose. 

One other sighting of interest was a Common Moorhen in a small pond east of the paved path a few hundred yards north of San Lorenzo Creek. My only previous sightings of Moorhens near the bay have been at Coyote Hills or along Alameda Creek. 93 species in total today.

Derek Heins