[EBB Sightings] Good Day at Valle Vista

This morning was very birdy at Valle Vista in Moraga. It started nicely 
at 8 AM with a Thrasher singing in the top of a bare plum(?) tree, well 
seen from the parking lot. Varied Thrushes were present both at the 
bottom of the Riche Loop trail and at the bridge.

I counted 27 Wood Ducks, 24 of which were from the bridge. Also at the 
bridge was a Common Merganser, not common at Valle Vista.

In sum, I saw 47 species. That is a nice count for the area considering 
that the lake is still very low and accordingly about 8 waterbirds 
usually seen there were missing. Also missing were some regulars, e.g., 
Junco and White-crowned Sparrow. Unfortunately, I did not see Denise 
Wight's White-throated Sparrows.

There was a flock of 60 Band-tailed Pigeons. There is a flock of about 
100 in Lafayette's Happy Valley, where I live. Are other people seeing 
an unusual number of Band-tails this winter?

Don Lewis
Lafayette, CA
donlewis at comcast.net