[EBB Sightings] Parakeet at Eastshore Park meadow, Berkeley

I should probably give a little detail about what I saw on Friday (since I'm
the one who reported this bird as a Mitred Parakeet).  I'm not knowledgeable
at all about these birds, and had no idea what it could be (beyond
"parrot").   I'm not an expert birder, so I would defer to just about
everyone.  I did get a very good look at this bird, and tried to note
everything about it (not knowing what would turn out to be significant when
I got back to check my Sibley's).  One thing that stood out was the kind of
messy looking scattering of red feathers around the face.  I couldn't tell
(no scope) whether the feathers were in disarray, or that's just how they
are on this species.  When I checked the field guide, the feather pattern of
the adult Mitred Parakeet stood out as being just like what I saw.  

Thanks for all the information that has been shared here about both of these
species and where they have been found in the past.  

Karen

Note: This is the 3rd time I've tried to send this message in the last 2
days; each time I get a message saying it contains a faulty header and must
be approved by the moderator.  I hope this goes through, and if it's
possible, I would appreciate any advice about how to do this right in the
future.  

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Red-masked Parakeet at Berkeley Marina (David Couch)
   2. Townsend's Warbler (Russ Wilson)
   3. Berkeley Geese (Tom Bates Field) (David Bowden)
   4. Heather Farm: Cackling Goose,	sapsucker and lark sparrows
      (Ted Robertson)
   5. San Ramon Valley sightings (rrrrumble at aol.com)
   6. Probable adult Mitred Parakeet (Karen Smith/Enscoe)
   7. RE: Berk. Marina Parrot(s) (Judi Sierra)


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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:04:08 -0800
From: David Couch 
Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Red-masked Parakeet at Berkeley Marina
To: 
Message-ID: <201001092004.o09K41fb017449 at b.mail.sonic.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Very cool -- they can commute to the other side of the freeway!

But I doubt it is a single escapee or an SF -- unless you are SURE 
that it was not a Mitred Conure (Aratinga mitrata).*
We have had these noisy neighbors in West Berkeley since the 1980s 
(according to reports on this list and Joe Eaton). In the early 2000s 
I would see up 7 of them in my neighborhood (7th betw Univ and 
Gilman) -- but I have noticed much lower numbers reported recently.

In January 2009 the wonderful local nature writer Joe Eaton wrote a 
series in the Berkeley Daily Planet about them. He said that our 
Berkeley birds are Mitred Conures (Aratinga mitrata) but most of the 
San Francisco birds are Red-masked Parakeets/Red-Masked 
Conures/Cherry-Headed Conures (which I think is Aratinga erythrogenys).

*I know you are an expert birder so I would defer to your opinion, 
and surely others will chime in too.

At 12:16 AM 1/9/2010, Bob Battagin wrote:
>Hi EBBer's,
>Yesterday (Friday) there was a Red-masked Parakeet (aka Red-headed 
>Conure, Cherry Conure, etc.) at the Berkeley Marina.  It was in the 
>pines/eucalyptus/willows just north of and across the street from 
>the Sea Breeze Market and Deli at the corner of University Ave. and 
>the I-80 Frontage Road.  The only local sources of this bird I know 
>of would be as an escapee from someone in the City of Berkeley or a 
>bird from the San Francisco population that crossed the Bay and 
>ended up at this location.
>Good birding,
>Bob Battagin
>Woodacre

David Herzstein Couch
1484 7th St
Berkeley, CA 94710
dhCouch at sonic.net
510-558-1484 home
510-835-3700 work  



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 14:17:55 -0800
From: "Russ Wilson" 
Subject: [EBB Sightings] Townsend's Warbler
To: "EBB" 
Message-ID: <690263C047B140CEAE38AFD23E91ED74 at TYLITA>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

EBB:      Sunday, 01/09/10

  Today, for the sixth consecutive day, a small mixed flock of birds, mostly

juncos and chickadees moved through our

yard, always accompanied by a single male Townsend's Warbler. To my surprise

the warbler even joins its

friends in feeding on the suet cake. Twice I have seen it check out the 
hummingbird feeder, but to no avail. Yesterday, it

flew by me and landed 6 feet away in the birdbath. I froze in my tracks 
while I wached it bathe. What a beautiful bird!

  Other frequent visitors, but not part of the mixed flock, have been a 
Northern Flicker (at the suet), Black Phoebe, Oak

Titmice, Bewick's Wren, and White-crowned Sparows.


Russ Wilson

El Cerrito 




------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 15:43:46 -0800
From: David Bowden 
Subject: [EBB Sightings] Berkeley Geese (Tom Bates Field)
To: "Sightings at diabloaudubon.com" 
Message-ID:
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

There are now two "white geese" in the playing fields with the Canada
Geese.  Didn't have binocs, but I suspect they're both Ross's Geese
based on size.  Can't be too sure, though.

David Bowden
Albany, CA


------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 16:12:33 -0800
From: "Ted Robertson" 
Subject: [EBB Sightings] Heather Farm: Cackling Goose,	sapsucker and
	lark sparrows
To: "EBBSightings" 
Message-ID:
	<11ee9ae0f0a482e04d1f86412925aac6.squirrel at calmail.berkeley.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8

Today at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek between 10:30 AM and 11:15 AM I
spotted 4 LARK SPARROWS on the south end of the corral, a RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER in the trees by the solar panels (northwest side of the park),
and a single CACKLING GOOSE (Aluetian ssp)in the northern ball fields. 
Teams were playing in both fields, scaring off the Killdeers but not the
Canada Geese.  The RING-NECKED DUCK and a single GREATER SCAUP continue in
the main lake.  Spotted 33 species but missed Hugh Harvey's White-throated
Sparrow again.  AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES were particularly abundant, about 40
to 50 were seen (had to hurry home before I could count them all)
--Ted R.--


Ted Robertson

Lawrence Hall of Science
University of California
Berkeley, CA  94720-5200
510-642-4087



------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:04:26 -0500
From: rrrrumble at aol.com
Subject: [EBB Sightings] San Ramon Valley sightings
To: sightings at diabloaudubon.com
Message-ID: <8CC5FB05EF11B17-3524-176CB at webmail-d033.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"


The small pond behind Windemere Ranch Middle School in San Ramon is full of
life right now.  It gives one an idea of what Dougherty Valley might have
looked like before all the development.  In the pond this afternoon:

4 Buffleheads 
4 Green-winged Teals
6 Cinnamon Teals
2 Great Egrets
1 Yellowlegs (hard to tell whether Greater or Lesser)
Mallards and American Coots

Directions:  Exit 680 at Bollinger Canyon Rd. in San Ramon and travel east
4.8 miles.  Left on E. Branch Parkway.  Right into the 1st driveway, shared
by Windemere Ranch Middle School and a small park with a parking lot on the
right.  Park there and walk south along the park's perimeter, through the
black gate and down along the wetlands.  

Also:  Yesterday there was a brilliant male Hooded Merganser among the
Mallards in the creek below the Danville Library.  400 Front Street,
Danville.  

Good birding.

Brad Rumble
San Ramon





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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 12:23:19 -0800
From: "Karen Smith/Enscoe" 
Subject: [EBB Sightings] Probable adult Mitred Parakeet
To: 
Message-ID: <001201ca9169$95a591d0$c0f0b570$ at net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

On Friday, 1/8/10 at around 10:45am I saw a fairly large green parrot (later
ID'd as an adult Mitred Parakeet, using my Sibley Field Guide) flying among
some Mourning Doves in the fenced off Eastshore Park meadow project (phase
2, eastern section) east of the Berkeley Marina.  I first heard it in the
low brush near the fence along University Avenue, across from the Sea Breeze
deli/grocery store at the corner of University Ave. and the frontage road
just west of Hwy 880.  While I watched, it flew out of the brush and east
across the paths inside the park gate, to perch on the fencing along the
eastern path.  It flew to the trees inside that fenced area to the east,
generally perching fairly high up.  It continued to make its call (a very
loud scratchy sound) and fly around in big circles, sending the Mourning
Doves scattering each time.  It was still there when I left at 11:10.  I
only saw one.  At one point, I thought I heard the same scratchy call coming
from the brush where I'd heard it originally, but though I checked, I
couldn't find a 2nd one.

 

Karen Smith

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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 20:46:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Judi Sierra 
Subject: [EBB Sightings] RE: Berk. Marina Parrot(s)
To: sightings at diabloaudubon.com
Message-ID: <492012.17750.qm at web58106.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Two reports about 2 species at the Berkeley Marina Friday. My guess this was
the same bird.

Yesterday (Friday) there was a Red-masked Parakeet (aka Red-headed Conure,
Cherry Conure, etc.) at the Berkeley Marina.  It was in the
pines/eucalyptus/willows just north of and across the street from the Sea
Breeze Market and Deli at the corner of University Ave. and the I-80
Frontage Road.  
Bob Battagin

On Friday, 1/8/10 at around 10:45am I saw a fairly large green parrot (later
IDb