Parent
From email@hidden Sun Feb 01 09:19:17 1998
Subject: South-bay-birds archive
South Bay Birders,
I have updated my website with an archive of the January 1998 messages
from this list.
Please let me know if you have any problems. Thanks.
--
Joseph Morlan Spring Birding Classes begin Feb 17 in SF:
380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Pacifica, CA 94044 email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 01 09:32:03 1998
Subject: BALD EAGLE 1/31/98
Yesterday around 1:30PM I went to the Palo Alto Baylands.
>From near the Black Rail spot, while scanning the skies, I picked up a
really distant BALD EAGLE. Les Chibana and Al Jaramillo got their
scopes on the nice adult bird. I would estimate that the bird was
somewhere above the Sunnyvale Baylands, but it is really hard to say.
I didn't call it into the BirdBox but I understand that a Bald Eagle
at this location is unusual.
Les and Al where there as part of a group outing for CCRS birders.
I hung out with them for the rest of the afternoon.
At the Duck Pond, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still with the
domestic geese. A couple of MEW GULLS were about.
Al picked up the mystery "RING-BILLED/MEW/Kamchatka GULL" that he has
seen there before. Les took some photos I think.
Maybe Les or Al will write more about it.
Then over at the Sunnyvale water-treatment plant, I found two pairs of
BURROWING OWLs near the parking lot. Look to the left (south) of the small
bridge over the sewage channel. There is a pair on the mounds on each
side of the channel. We also saw a saw SORA next to the bridge.
By the time we reached the large sewage ponds, it was already too dark
to look for the Tufted Duck.
Vivek
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 01 11:34:07 1998
Subject: Sierra, Calaveras
Yesterday (1/31) around midday after the rain stopped, I checked out Ed
Levin. No Swan or YB Sapsucker.
At milepost 2.80 on Calaveras Road up by the reservoir, I had a
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. No Bald Eagle or other interesting raptors in
sight, but a pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS were doing their courting flight.
At the Sierra Road summit, I had either 2 or 3 adult GOLDEN EAGLES (one
soared low along the summit, and later I saw two circling high overhead.)
Also had 10 LARK SPARROWS near the cattle pen, and a couple of HORNED
LARKS in the field. No luck on Rock Wrens.
At Spreckels and Grand in Alviso on the way home, the EURASIAN WIGEON was
still in the pond on the edge of Arzino Ranch, and yet another adult
GOLDEN EAGLE flew in and perched on one of the phone poles along Zanker
Road.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 02 09:10:22 1998
Subject: Saturday birds
Making a late start on Saturday because of the weather, I made two primary
stops. I first spent an hour and twenty minutes missing the Prairie Warbler;
and I then went on to Lake Cunningham Park in San Jose. There were several
hundred Gulls on the lake, mostly California, but no initial sign of the
second-winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL when I arrived. However, it must have
come in while I wasn't looking: it was present at 12:20, and until at least
1 PM. [Any progress on the possible-heuglini issue?] In fact, only two
minutes before I first saw the Gull I first saw a RED-NECKED GREBE, very
close to the pier. I strongly suspect that it was spending some of its time
actually under the pier, or in other close-by corners hard to spot from the
end. (I think this bird had a strong enough facial pattern to be an adult,
although I'm unsure how close young birds can come to this.)
Nothing exciting to report from some brief stops at CCRS (not many Gulls
around) and Alviso, beyond an adult GOLDEN EAGLE, a young RED-SHOULDERED HAWK,
and an unidentified immature Accipter, all along the EEC entrance road.
Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 02 09:18:35 1998
Subject: Common Loon
On Saturday morning, Jan. 31, Jeanne Leavitt and
I observed a COMMON LOON in the first (northernmost,
largest) percolation pond at Los Gatos Creek Park,
west of Hwy 17. It was in the NE corner, and spent
about 90% or more of its time underwater. There
were also several HORNED GREBES. In the largest and
northernmost of the Oka Ponds, east of the creek,
there was one female HOODED MERGANSER and one pair
of RING-NECKED DUCKs.
- Chris Salander
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 02 09:49:38 1998
Subject: PA Baylands High Tide
Hello All:
I showed up at the baylands around 2:30 pm so I missed the Bald Eagle.
The tide was rather unremarkable, but good enough as 6 BLACK RAILS came
into view starting around 4 pm and remained until about 5:15. Around 5
pm, one of them clambered up a foot or so onto a branch as if to look to
see if the coast was clear. There was also a EURASIAN WIDGEON south of
the boat landing some 400 yards from shore. No unusual sea ducks even
with an hour of scoping and good back lighting. Quite a lot of SAVANNAH
SPARROWs, showing considerable variation in color from light beige to
nearly to color of the Song Sparrows, presumably multiple races
involved.
Steve Miller
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 02 09:57:23 1998
Subject: Pine Siskins
The Pine Siskins have finally arrived at my feeders in my backyard...have
several in a pack of about 50 goldfinches feeding as I write this.
Gloria LeBlanc
Los Gatos
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 02 12:35:08 1998
Subject: RFI Rock Sandpiper in Santa Cruz
South Bay Birders
I have a friend coming in from out of town tonight. Does anyone know
if the Rock Sandpiper is still being seen in Santa Cruz?
Please call me at 408-268-7097 if you have any news. Thanks
Bruce Barrett
San Jose, CA
email@hidden
or
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 03 13:18:53 1998
Subject: Re: Glaucous Gull at Baylands
Tom Grey wrote:
>
> At the Duck Pond, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was with the domestic
> goose flock, and as I drove by them right behind the Sea Scout building,
> they were accompanied by two odd exotics, grazing Phasianid-looking birds
> larger than Coots, with all over gray plumage regularly speckled
> (scaled?) with white; white heads with red bills, and one with red
> wattles. At least this was the instant impression I had as I drove past.
> When I came back to check them out, they were gone and I couldn't refind
> them. I don't see anything like these in my NGS. Daydream?
I've seen two ducks with at least some Muscovy parentage that fit that
description at the Baylands. Could the birds have been these ducks?
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 03 13:30:36 1998
Subject: Alviso wigeon
All,
On January 26, I saw a male EURASIAN WIGEON at Arzino Ranch in the
pond along Los Esteros Road.
Today (3 Feb.), at the same location, a pure male EURASIAN WIGEON
was accompanying a female EURASIAN on this pond, while an obvious
hybrid male EURASIAN x AMERICAN WIGEON displayed to a female
AMERICAN. This hybrid had pinkish-purple feathering on the breast
and most of the sides, but the upper sides/flanks were gray. The
back and scapulars were gray with a faint purplish tinge (rather
than being clean gray as on the pure EUWI or more pinkish-purple
as on the pure AMWI). The posterior half of the head was reddish,
but the foreface and the cheeks were a strange creamy color with
only a faint reddish tinge. The anterior portion of the
broad green head stripe was clearly visible, and the forehead was
off-white, with a slight creamy tinge that was no more yellowish
or buff than on several of the pure male AMWI present. Two LESSER
(and 28 GREATER) YELLOWLEGS were here, and the YELLOW WARBLER was
still at the EEC.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 03 17:09:24 1998
Subject: Glaucous Gull at Baylands
Today I had to go into Palo Alto from the largely cut off west side to
pick something up shortly after noon, so I thought I'd see how things were
at bayside. Embarcadero was open, and it was very odd to see the
southbound lane of 101 empty of cars as I drove over. The frontage road
was open the whole way to Shoreline, but Shoreline was closed at San
Antonio, due apparently to sewage contamination.
So I headed back to Baylands. Almost no one there with the tide out. I
found a 2d winter GLAUCOUS GULL walking around right in the Byxbee parking
lot - which made this somewhat cumbersome expedition (traffic jam on the
way back) worth while.
At the Duck Pond, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was with the domestic
goose flock, and as I drove by them right behind the Sea Scout building,
they were accompanied by two odd exotics, grazing Phasianid-looking birds
larger than Coots, with all over gray plumage regularly speckled
(scaled?) with white; white heads with red bills, and one with red
wattles. At least this was the instant impression I had as I drove past.
When I came back to check them out, they were gone and I couldn't refind
them. I don't see anything like these in my NGS. Daydream?
There were 14 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS on the mudflats in front of the Sea
Scout building.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 03 22:12:13 1998
Subject: Re: Glaucous Gull at Baylands
At 09:18 PM 2/3/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Tom Grey wrote:
>>
>> At the Duck Pond, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was with the domestic
>> goose flock, and as I drove by them right behind the Sea Scout building,
>> they were accompanied by two odd exotics, grazing Phasianid-looking birds
>> larger than Coots, with all over gray plumage regularly speckled
>> (scaled?) with white; white heads with red bills, and one with red
>> wattles. At least this was the instant impression I had as I drove past.
>> When I came back to check them out, they were gone and I couldn't refind
>> them. I don't see anything like these in my NGS. Daydream?
>
>I've seen two ducks with at least some Muscovy parentage that fit that
>description at the Baylands. Could the birds have been these ducks?
>
>Steve Rottenborn
On our CCRS trip on Saturday we saw two guineafowl there, they fit the
description. The goose was there as was the weird 'kamchatka' type gull,
more details later.
Al.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Half Moon Bay,
California
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 04 09:44:22 1998
Subject: birds
On Saturday, 31 Jan 98, I did a little birding in spite of the rain, startin=
g at
Shoreline Park, where I found a single female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on the lak=
e. A
flock of 12 swallows flew overhead, looking to be either TREE or VIOLET-GRE=
EN.
The Palo Alto flood control basin had a male and female BLUE-WINGED TEAL an=
d 3
female RING-NECKED DUCKS. A WESTERN GREBE and a SURF SCOTER were on the Nor=
th
Pond. The immature WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still at the duck pond, and an a=
dult
PEREGRINE FALCON was on a power tower at the Baylands. I stopped at the
Sunnyvale sewage ponds, but couldn't find any Tufted Duck. A SAY'S PHOEBE w=
as at
the old landfill, as was a BURROWING OWL. In Alviso, I had 1050 MEW GULLS a=
t the
end of Nortech Pkwy. A BURROWING OWL was along Disk Dr and a MERLIN was per=
ched
on a power tower along Grand.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 04 09:50:24 1998
Subject: exotic fowl
Tom Grey wrote:
>> At the Duck Pond, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was with the domestic=
>> goose flock, and as I drove by them right behind the Sea Scout building=
,
>> they were accompanied by two odd exotics, grazing Phasianid-looking bir=
ds
>> larger than Coots, with all over gray plumage regularly speckled
>> (scaled?) with white; white heads with red bills, and one with red
>> wattles. At least this was the instant impression I had as I drove past=
From email@hidden Wed Feb 04 13:08:19 1998
Subject: County Common Loon
All,
This morning at Los Gatos Creek Park Frank Vanslager and I saw the Common Loon
in the largest, northern most pond. Later, on the way out, we were unable to
relocate it. We also had one male Hooded Merganser, a female Red-breasted
Merganser, several Horned Grebes, 3-4 Green Herons, a small flock of Ring-
necked Ducks and a flock of 20-30 Lesser Scaup. We then went to Oak Knoll
Cemetery where we had three, interacting Hutton's Vireo's.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 12:47 PM, 2/4/98
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 04 14:08:29 1998
Subject: Mystery goldeneyes
South Bay Birders,
I've put up photos of a couple of mystery goldeneyes on my website. I
have a feedback form for votes and comments and I'd really like to get
opinions on these.
Thanks to a contribution from Alan Hopkins I've also added a photo
gallery showing the recent Long-billed Murrelet from Muir Beach and
Summer Tanager from Golden Gate Park which may be of interest.
I also added better photographs of the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
that was at Bodega Bay last fall.
Go to http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ and follow the links.
Thanks.
--
Joseph Morlan Spring Birding Classes begin Feb 17 in SF:
380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Pacifica, CA 94044 email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 04 18:47:35 1998
Subject: 1998 composite list
FEBRUARY 1 1998 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST UPDATE
Having passed 200 before the end of January we can definitely say
things are off to a good start!
We should be able to add Short-eared Owl, Canyon Wren, and Sage
Sparrow before migration starts...and maybe even that rarely reported
Ash-throated Flycatcher that returned to the Guadalupe River this
winter. Also, any bayside duck flocks are definitely worth checking
for Oldsquaw and Black Scoter.
Mike
P.S. Some advice from Kendric:
[To make the columns line up, please copy this list to a word processor, and
change the font to a monospaced font (Monoco, Courier, etc.), and set the
right hand margin to 7.5 inches.]
________________________________________________________________________
Recent progress of the composite list:
188: 1/ 4/98 "WESTERN" FLYCATCHER
189: 1/ 5/98 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
190: 1/ 9/98 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
191: 1/15/98 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
192: 1/16/98 ROSS' GOOSE
: 1/16/98 ICELAND GULL (not yet accepted on state list by CBRC)
193: 1/16/98 BALD EAGLE
194: 1/16/98 AMERICAN BITTERN
195: 1/17/98 MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
196: 1/17/98 TREE SWALLOW
197: 1/18/98 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW
198: 1/23/98 WESTERN TANAGER
199: 1/25/98 PRAIRIE FALCON
200: 1/25/98 HORNED LARK
201: 1/25/98 ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD
Please send any additions, corrections, or comments to Mike
Rogers, email@hidden.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST - 1998
SCR MMR MJM COMP SOURCE
377 170 145 131 201+ICGU
% OF COMPOSITE FOR 1998
% OF 377 (Iceland Gull not counted)
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon 1/ 2 AVe
Pied-billed Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Horned Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Red-necked Grebe 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Eared Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Western Grebe 1/ 2 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Clark's Grebe 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Northern Fulmar
Sooty Shearwater
Ashy Storm-Petrel
Brown Booby
American White Pelican 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Brown Pelican 1/ 6 1/ 4 JMa
Double-crested Cormorant 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Magnificent Frigatebird
American Bittern 1/16 1/16 SCR
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Great Egret 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Snowy Egret 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR
Green Heron 1/ 6 1/ 1 DJC
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
White-faced Ibis
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Tundra Swan 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC
Greater White-fronted Goose 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Snow Goose 1/ 2 1/ 3 1/ 2 SCR
Ross' Goose 1/19 1/16 1/16 MJM
Brant
Canada Goose 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Wood Duck 1/18 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Green-winged Teal 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Mallard 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Northern Pintail 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Garganey
Blue-winged Teal 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Cinnamon Teal 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Northern Shoveler 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Gadwall 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Eurasian Wigeon 1/26 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
American Wigeon 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Canvasback 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Redhead 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Ring-necked Duck 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/31 1/ 1 m.ob.
Tufted Duck 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Greater Scaup 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Lesser Scaup 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Oldsquaw
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
White-winged Scoter 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR
Common Goldeneye 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Barrow's Goldeneye 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Bufflehead 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Hooded Merganser 1/ 4 1/ 1 AVe,CH,NLe
Common Merganser 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Red-breasted Merganser 1/16 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Ruddy Duck 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Turkey Vulture 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
California Condor
Osprey 1/19 1/18 1/17 JMa,JLa
White-tailed Kite 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR,MJM
Bald Eagle 1/16 SGu
Northern Harrier 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 2 SCR
Cooper's Hawk 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Northern Goshawk
Red-shouldered Hawk 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 3 1/ 1 DJC
Broad-winged Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Ferruginous Hawk 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 2 SCR
Rough-legged Hawk 1/ 3 1/ 3 SCR
Golden Eagle 1/ 6 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 DJC
American Kestrel 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Merlin 1/ 9 1/ 3 1/ 2 fide CKS
Peregrine Falcon 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Prairie Falcon 1/25 NLe
Ring-necked Pheasant 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 6 SCR
Wild Turkey 1/ 1 JMa
California Quail 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/18 1/ 1 SCR,DJC
Mountain Quail
Yellow Rail
Black Rail 1/12 1/12 1/ 9 VTi,RWR,FVs
Clapper Rail 1/12 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Virginia Rail 1/ 2 1/12 1/31 1/ 2 SCR
Sora 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 2 SCR
Common Moorhen 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
American Coot 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Pacific Golden-Plover
American Golden-Plover
Snowy Plover
Semipalmated Plover 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Killdeer 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/18 1/ 1 m.ob.
Mountain Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
American Avocet 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Greater Yellowlegs 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Lesser Yellowlegs 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Wandering Tattler
Spotted Sandpiper 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Whimbrel 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 4 CKS,JML
Long-billed Curlew 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Hudsonian Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Marbled Godwit 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Ruddy Turnstone
Black Turnstone
Red Knot 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR
Sanderling 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Least Sandpiper 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Dunlin 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Curlew Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Ruff
Short-billed Dowitcher 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Long-billed Dowitcher 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR,MJM,AVe
Common Snipe 1/ 5 1/ 1 DJC
Wilson's Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
Red Phalarope
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger
Laughing Gull
Franklin's Gull
Little Gull
Black-headed Gull
Bonaparte's Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Heermann's Gull
Mew Gull 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,TGr
Ring-billed Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
California Gull 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Herring Gull 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Thayer's Gull 1/ 2 1/16 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
??Iceland Gull 1/16 1/16 SBT,SCR,AJa,MH
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/18 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Western Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Glaucous-winged Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,TGr
Glaucous Gull 1/ 6 1/ 6 SCR
Black-legged Kittiwake
Sabine's Gull
Caspian Tern
Elegant Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Forster's Tern 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Least Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer 1/ 6 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Common Murre
Ancient Murrelet
Cassin's Auklet
Rock Dove 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Band-tailed Pigeon 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner
Barn Owl 1/ 9 1/ 9 MMR,RJe
Flammulated Owl
Western Screech-Owl 1/ 1 JMa
Great Horned Owl 1/14 1/ 1 DJC
Northern Pygmy-Owl 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa
Burrowing Owl 1/ 5 1/20 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1/ 1 JMa
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Black Swift
Chimney Swift
Vaux's Swift
White-throated Swift 1/18 1/21 1/ 8 RWR,FVs
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Costa's Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird 1/25 AME
Belted Kingfisher 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/17 1/ 1 DJC
Lewis' Woodpecker 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs
Acorn Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/ 2 1/ 1 CKS,JML
Red-naped Sapsucker 1/ 6 1/ 6 MMR
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/17 1/ 1 m.ob.
Williamson's Sapsucker
Nuttall's Woodpecker 1/ 2 1/ 7 1/ 3 1/ 2 m.ob.
Downy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,CKS,JML
Hairy Woodpecker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC
Northern Flicker 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1/ 4 CCRS
Black Phoebe 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Eastern Phoebe 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR
Say's Phoebe 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/18 1/ 2 SCR
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Cassin's Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Horned Lark 1/25 AME
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow 1/18 1/19 1/17 LCh
Violet-green Swallow 1/19 1/18 JDa
Nor. Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow 1/ 2 1/19 1/ 2 SCR
Steller's Jay 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/17 1/ 1 m.ob.
Western Scrub-Jay 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
Clark's Nutcracker
Black-billed Magpie
Yellow-billed Magpie 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
American Crow 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Common Raven 1/ 1 1/ 5 1/ 1 m.ob.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1/ 1 1/16 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
Oak Titmouse 1/ 3 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC
Bushtit 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 1 JMa
White-breasted Nuthatch 1/ 3 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 DJC
Pygmy Nuthatch 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa
Brown Creeper 1/ 1 1/17 1/ 1 m.ob.
Rock Wren 1/19 1/13 1/13 MJM
Canyon Wren
Bewick's Wren 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
House Wren
Winter Wren 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR
Marsh Wren 1/12 1/12 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
American Dipper
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1/ 5 CJC
Western Bluebird 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 DJC
Mountain Bluebird 1/17 JLu
Townsend's Solitaire
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 SCR,JMa
American Robin 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 m.ob.
Varied Thrush 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR
Wrentit 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/17 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC
Northern Mockingbird 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Sage Thrasher
Brown Thrasher
California Thrasher 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 1 SCR
Red-throated Pipit
American Pipit 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing 1/ 2 1/14 1/ 1 JMa
Phainopepla 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs
Northern Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
European Starling 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Bell's Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Hutton's Vireo 1/ 1 1/19 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler 1/ 4 1/24 1/ 4 SCR,CCRS
Nashville Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler 1/ 4 1/ 4 SCR
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1/ 9 SBT
Townsend's Warbler 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC
Hermit Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prairie Warbler 1/ 4 1/17 1/ 4 SCR
Palm Warbler 1/ 4 1/13 1/ 4 SCR,HLR
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat 1/ 4 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 2 MJM
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Western Tanager 1/23 RWR
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 SCR,JMa,DJC
California Towhee 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/13 1/ 1 m.ob.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Black-chinned Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow 1/19 1/ 4 1/ 4 MJM
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Savannah Sparrow 1/ 2 1/12 1/ 4 1/ 1 DJC
Grasshopper Sparrow
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1/ 9 fide AME
Fox Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Song Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Lincoln's Sparrow 1/ 2 1/13 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH
Swamp Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 2 SCR
White-throated Sparrow 1/15 AJb
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
White-crowned Sparrow 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Harris' Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 3 1/ 1 m.ob.
Lapland Longspur
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Tricolored Blackbird 1/ 2 1/14 1/ 2 SCR
Western Meadowlark 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 DJC
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird 1/ 1 1/ 4 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird 1/ 2 1/16 1/18 1/ 1 AVe,CH,DJC
Hooded Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Scott's Oriole
Purple Finch 1/ 1 1/ 1 SCR
Cassin's Finch
House Finch 1/ 1 1/ 6 1/ 2 1/ 1 m.ob.
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin 1/18 1/ 9 TGr
Lesser Goldfinch 1/ 1 1/13 1/ 4 1/ 1 m.ob.
Lawrence's Goldfinch 1/ 6 NLe,RWR,FVs
American Goldfinch 1/ 1 1/ 7 1/20 1/ 1 m.ob.
Evening Grosbeak
House Sparrow 1/ 2 1/ 6 1/ 1 CKS,JML,DJC
Observer codes: m.ob.-many observers,AJa-Al Jaramillo,AJb-Alberta
Jasberg,AME-Al Eisner,AVe-Ann Verdi, CCRS-COyote Creek Riparian
Station,CH-Caralisa Hughes,CJC-Chuck Coston,CKS-Chris Salander,DJC-Don
& Jill Crawford, FVs-Frank Vanslager,GLB-Gloria LeBlanc,HLR-Heather
Rottenborn, JDa-Jim Danzenbaker,JLa-Jolene Lange,JLu-John
Luther,JMa-John Mariani, JML-Jeanne Leavitt,KLP-Kathy Parker, MH-Matt
Heindel,MJM-Mike Mammoser,MLF-Mike Feighner,MMR-Mike Rogers,NLe-Nick
Lethaby, RJe-Richard Jeffers,RCo-Rita Colwell,RLe-Rosalie
Lefkowitz,RWR-Bob Reiling,SBT-Scott Terrill,SCR-Steve
Rottenborn,SGu-Stephan Gunn,TGr-Tom Grey, VTi-Vivek Tiwari,WGB-Bill
Bousman
SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST HISTORY
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 HIGH
COMP 278 295 303 293 296 305 305
SCR 279 291 262 251 268 291
MJM 234 250 265 242 253 276 276
MMR 214 234 254 271 257 258 275 275
MLF 136 183 199 209 215 235 194 165 218 265 265
WGB 216 228 245 170 245
AME 240 220 219 231 240
KLP 232 232
RWR 204 201 203 228 228
TGr 189 211 211
CKS 185 195 186 195
GLB 190 190
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 05 08:43:37 1998
Subject: Bay area Calendar & SCC Composite List
Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for February 6-13.
Mike Rogers has updated the 1998 SANTA CLARA COUNTY YEAR LIST.
Kendric
South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU)
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 06 09:35:20 1998
Subject: GOEA Status
Folks:
Janet Hanson asked last week if Golden Eagles are becoming more common
in this area. I'm not aware of any studies of this magnificent predator in
this area that would give us solid information to answer this question, but
data from local CBCs and, for Palo Alto, the Summer Bird Count, do not show
any statistically significant trends in their populations.
The San Jose (1969-96) and Mt. Hamilton (1978-96) CBCs record about the
same number of eagles in terms of birds/party-hour, although the San Jose CBC
raw numbers are higher (18.0 birds compared to 5.8 birds over these periods).
The Palo Alto (1969-96) data are much lower and the bird is often missed.
Here, the winter data show about 1.0 birds per year and the summer data about
0.6 birds.
The conventional wisdom is that the Santa Cruz Mountains have always
had about five pairs of eagles. Atlas data suggests that there are probably a
few more, but most are south of the Los Gatos-Santa Cruz corridor. It seems
likely that there are one or two pairs north of this line but I do not have a
record of nesting evidence. In the Diablo Range this species is far more
common. It appears from some studies that the density of Golden Eagles from
the Carquinez Straights to Santa Clara County is possibly the highest in the
world and I have heard numbers such as 40 pairs which I find credible.
Golden Eagles move onto the valley floor in winter, normally from
November through to March or April, and are seen at a number of locations.
Whether these are more northern birds or Diablo Range birds that are
dispersing because of the need for larger winter foraging territories is
unanswered as far as I know.
Bill
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 06 10:11:52 1998
Subject: Bay Calendar Feb 14-20
Larry Tunstall has updated the Bay Area Calendar for February 14-20.
Kendric
South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU)
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 06 16:45:13 1998
Subject: hooded mergansers
All:
A pair of possible hooded mergansers spotted by Jim Ernst, my neighbor, at
about 3:30 today in the ponded up part of Barron Creek nearest Arastradero and
the Foothill frontage road. I saw them a little later without binoculars, and
could make out the obvious gold crest. Neither one appeared to be an adult
male.
Irene
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From email@hidden Sat Feb 07 03:45:04 1998
Subject: Arzino ducks
All,
Thursday (5 Feb.), I looked through the ducks at Arzino Ranch
and the adjacent flooded field at the intersection of Los
Esteros, Grand, and Spreckles in Alviso. One male EURASIAN
WIGEON (the pure bird), one male EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
and a female BLUE-WINGED TEAL were here. At CCRS, Al Jamarillo
and I saw a small CANADA GOOSE (slightly larger than minima,
with no white collar; possibly parvipes?).
Also on Thursday, Linda Terrill saw a RED-NECKED GREBE in mostly
alternate plumage at Lexington Reservoir.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 08 17:27:39 1998
Subject: Duck Days in Alviso
Dear South Bay Birders,
I tended a spotting scope at the Environmental Education Center's annual Duck
Days on Sun. Feb 8th. Despite the rain good numbers of people turned out for
the event, including many local children, many of whom were excellent
observers.
Looking out on New Chicago Marsh from the pavillion at the Environmental Ed.
Center, We observed large numbers of CANADA GEESE, NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN
WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL, MALLARD, GADWALL as well as smaller numbers of
HORNED GREBE, EARED GREBE, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, BLUE-WINGED TEAL,
CINNAMON TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, VIRGINIA RAIL (in the slough channel),
NORTHERN HARRIER, WHITE-TAILED KITE, COOPER'S HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK and
PEREGRINE FALCON, KILLDEER, AMERICAN AVOCET, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, WESTERN
MEADOWLARK, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW, TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.
Unfortunately, no Eurasian Wigeon or 'Eurasian' Green-winged Teal made it over
from Arzino Ranch.
Tom
********************************************
Tom Ryan
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
1290 Hope St.
Alviso, CA 95002
(408) 946-6548
(408) 946-9279 fax
email@hidden
"While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my
passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist."
- William Beebe
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 08 18:25:48 1998
Subject: Lake Lagunita
Lake Lag on the Stanford Campus is filled right up. That attracted some
new customers, and this rainy afternoon I saw two female HOODED
MERGANSERS and 6 SURF SCOTERS, species I hadn't previously seen there.
This morning I saw a RED-TAILED HAWK carrying nesting material to a
redwood off the meadow at the end of Frenchman's Road - the seventh
straight year they have nested here.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 07:37:24 1998
Subject: Almaden/Campbell birds
On Sunday, Feb 8, the following birds of note were seen:
Oka/Campbell Ponds: 60+ LESSER SCAUP on the Oka Ponds. On the main Campbell
Pond, eight SURF SCOTERS were seen traveling about in a tight pack. Several
HORNED GREBES were seen as well. I did not see the Common Loon.
Almaden Lake: While numerous gulls were in the middle of the lake, 200+
gulls were seen close at hand roosting on a gravel spit by the upper end
were Alamitos Creek flows into the lake. Of the roosting gulls, over
90% were HERRING GULLS. Also in their midst were at least nine THAYER'S
GULLS, two GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and three WESTERN GULLS. Also seen
on the lake were 18 COMMON MERGANSERS with another one seen further upstream
on Alamitos Creek caught up in the swift current.
Of greatest interest to me were the Surf Scoters and Western Gulls - birds
rarely seen this far inland; in fact, this is the first time I've ever
seen Western Gull in this area. I suspect the presence of these birds
was storm-related.
That's it for now - Ann Verdi
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 08:29:14 1998
Subject: Shoreline/Forebay area (Feb. 8)
On Sunday afternoon I took advantage of a lessening of the rain to check
Mountainview Shoreline Lake and the Forebay area. While there were far more
Scaup and Surf Scoters on the lake than usual, I didn't detect any storm-
driven rarities. Also, I saw only one (female) Barrow's Goldeneye. (The
south corner of the lake was, however, not visible to me.) The most interes-
ting sighting was an American Bittern, which flew out of the wet marshy area
northwest of the Forebay, made one low loop over the Forebay, and landed out
of sight back where it had come from.
Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 09:40:35 1998
Subject: Bittern, Forebay
All,
On Saturday afternoon, Maria and I were looking at the east side of the
Mountain View Forebay, when another birder pointed out an American Bittern,
standing at quite close range. We checked out Shoreline Lake, where another
birder had noted a White Winged Scoter, but we didn't see it.
Yours, John Meyer
********************************************************************
John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305
email@hidden (650) 723 1868
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 09:53:09 1998
Subject: Lexington Res
All,
After hearing about Scott Terrill's wind-blown rarities at Lexington
Reservoir on the Bird Box I headed up there just before 5:00pm to see
if they were still around. I had a subset of his birds, including 1
RED-NECKED GREBE (mostly basic), 1 RED-THROATED LOON (basic, probably
imm), 3 RED PHALAROPES (feeding close to shore near the dam and west
of here). I saw none of Scott's 110 SURF SCOTERS.
Also at the reservoir were 2+ SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, at least 1
female-type COMMON MERGANSER, at least one FORSTER'S TERN, and several
wet WESTERN BLUEBIRDS feeding at the edge of the dam with a few
AMERICAN PIPITS.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 10:21:58 1998
Subject: Oka-La Rincanada
Strange picture to have SNOWY and GREAT EGRET on the La Rincanada Driving
range, joined by a couple of MALLARDS swimming!
Thx Ann for not finding the COMMON LOON at Oka. I looked for it Sunday
and couldn't find it. Did see your SURF SCOTERS, HORNED GREBE, LESSER
SCAUBS also one of the resident GREEN HERON. Near the entrance on Oka
Court I had RING-NECK DUCKs and MERGANSER.
This morning on my jog through La Rincanada Park I brought my binocs,
just in case, and saw a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. Brilliant red, was
beautiful. It was in tree on walkway practically at last bridge. Lots of
bird activity in park today,, but time was limited, to work, to work....
gloria leblanc
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 11:02:19 1998
Subject: Common Loon
The comments on the common loon at the Campbell percs are interesting, I
saw the bird on the 5th, and ten minutes later it seemingly disappeared
dispite looking for about ten minutes. That bird must have an amazing set
of lungs!
I also was at Duck Days yesterday helping out with the people on the
boardwalk. In addition to the birds that Tom Grey reported, the golden
eagle was on the usual power pole.
Jack Cole
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 13:12:44 1998
Subject: birds
On Sunday morning, 8 Feb 98, I went to the Palo Alto Baylands for the high t=
ide.
Even though the projected tide was only moderate, the water level was nearl=
y as
high as I've ever seen. Two BLACK RAILS put on a wonderful show, with one
sitting in a fairly open spot, preening and stretching for about 10 to 15
minutes. Only a small group of people were present, and we were able to get=
a
=22bird's eye view=22 of this guy from about 4 feet away. In addition, an a=
dult
PEREGRINE FALCON was perched on a power tower. =
As I walked out the levee to look for sparrows, 2 BROWN PELICANS flew overh=
ead,
an adult and an immature. No rare sparrows presented themselves, but I had =
a
BLACK RAIL flush from the marsh along the outflow channel. CLAPPER RAILS,
VIRGINIA RAILS, and SORAS were also plentiful.
The immature GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still present at the duck pond=
From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 13:23:30 1998
Subject: Tropical kingbird at Rancho San Antonio...?
All--
I just received this message and thought it was worth forwarding to the
list. I haven't had a chance to go look for the bird.
>X-Sender: arnel@sunburn
>X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.2 (32)
>Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 11:06:27 -0800
>To: Peter LaTourrette
>From: Arnel Guanlao
>Subject: Tropical kingbird at Rancho San Antonio...?
>
>
>Hi Peter,
>
> I was over at Rancho San Antonio yesterday and saw what I think was
>a tropical kingbird in the fields just below the northernmost parking
>lot, near the South Meadow Trail. It had a long, notched tail, bright yellow
>belly and a head that was a bit too dark to be a western kingbird. The
>lighting was too dim for me to make out the colors on its back - I only
>saw a flat gray. Ditto for the tail colors - it was dark-colored, but
>I couldn't say much more about it. I also noticed that there was a lighter,
>whitish patch under the chin. The song (I think) was a "pippipip".
>I think the only other bird that it could be was a Cassin's kingbird.
>
>Anyway, I thought you might be interested.
>
>
>Arnel Guanlao
>
>
---------------------------------------------------------
Peter LaTourrette
Bird photos: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/
Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc/org/
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 14:01:35 1998
Subject: Arzino
Having a rare dry day stimulated me to visit Alviso during an expanded
lunch "hour" today. The birds previously reported by Steve Rottenborn from
the Arzino Ranch were still present. At the pond and flooded field on the
south side of Los Esteros at Grant were a pair of Eurasian Wigeon and two
Lesser Yellowlegs. Al J. came up and located the odd hybrid male Wigeon
as well. Finally, one or (probably) two Golden Eagles were in the area --
one perched on the RR tracks.
Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 09 15:55:47 1998
Subject: WFGO
All,
On my noon-time run today 2/9/98 I was lucky enough to run into
the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE that is wintering on the Moffett
Golf Course. It was with the domestics at the flooded pond just
west of the road that bisects the golf course.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 10 12:28:20 1998
Subject: waterbirds
All:
Sunday morning (8 Feb.), I did a little South County birding.
I started at the waterfowl farm on Middle Ave. in the San Martin/
Morgan Hill area, where the diversity of Canada Goose races is
just as great as Mike Rogers and others have previously described.
The five huge "Canada Geese" (showing a few genes of domestic
geese) were still present, all pinioned. Six medium-large,
very dark (Dusky-type) Canada Geese were also pinioned. Thirteen
tiny Canadas (minima) were by themselves in the small pond right
in front of the house, and 7 or more slightly larger "small" forms,
including at least one free-flying bird, were also present. Of
the 85 other Canada Geese (not including any of those mentioned
above) present, about half appeared to be pinioned or banded, or
had their right hallux clipped. Also present were 9 free-flying
ROSS'S GEESE, none banded or with clipped toes, of which two
were obvious immatures. Five of the 17 SNOW GEESE were free-flying,
healthy birds, none banded or with clipped toes, while the other
12 were all pinioned. Four adult Greater White-fronted Geese (3
banded on right foot) and 4 Canvasbacks (3 males) were in cages
here. Finally, a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW flew over heading
north while I was here.
I then went to the San Felipe Lake area, where water covered
most of the valley along Frazier Lake Road and around the lake,
gradually moving downstream and mixing with the flooded Pajaro.
I first scoped this huge "lake" from Bloomfield Avenue, which
was closed near its intersection with Frazier Lake Road. Near
this intersection, in Santa Clara County, I saw 9 HOODED
MERGANSERS (3m, 6f), 2 TUNDRA SWANS (1ad., 1 imm.), 2 CATTLE
EGRETS, and 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS.
Waterfowl were scattered throughout this entire area but were
concentrated in large flocks near San Felipe Lake, so I scoped
the lake from the Bettencourt (sp.?) Dairy and from the pullouts
along Hwy. 152 around the lake. From the call box pullout just
east of the dairy, I saw a basic-plumaged RED PHALAROPE and a
RED-NECKED GREBE in virtually complete alternate plumage on San
Felipe Lake. The grebe looked very lost, and was not seen to
dive, but the phalarope was picking at the surface of the water
fairly actively. A male EURASIAN WIGEON was also here among
hundreds of Americans. Across the water, I could see a large
flock of 117 TUNDRA SWANS (a very high count for San Benito Co.)
near Frazier Lake Road in San Benito.
Driving along Hwy. 152 to Dunne Lane then making a loop around
the "lake" on Shore Road, Lake Road, and much of Frazier Lake Road
(until I got to the flooded portions), I was able to work the
area fairly well. Total counts for this San Felipe Lake area,
not including the TUSW, CAEG, and HOME noted in Santa Clara Co.
above, were 6 PIED-BILLED, 2 HORNED (both San Benito), and 10 EARED
GREBES; 110 GREAT, 18 SNOWY, and 16 CATTLE EGRETS (all CAEG along
Frazier Lake Rd. in San Benito), 15 CANADA GEESE, 20 GREEN-WINGED
TEAL, 425 MALLARDS, 60 CINNAMON TEAL, 1050 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 180
GADWALLS, 575 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 450 AMERICAN WIGEON, 325 CANVAS-
BACKS, 415 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 21 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 31 BUFFLEHEADS,
3 HOODED MERGANSERS (near Lover's Lane in San Benito), and 185 RUDDY
DUCKS -- that's more than 3700 ducks! Where these birds were before
the flooding, I don't know, but I doubt they were all on San Felipe
Lake. Al DeMartini and Debi Shearwater have not been seeing nearly
this many ducks in the area, so these birds obviously moved in from
somewhere. The vast majority of these ducks (and all of the Canvas-
backs and Ring-neckeds) were in San Benito County. Also in this
area were 320 AMERICAN COOTS, 210 BLACK-NECKED STILTS, 30 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 4000 CALIFORNIA GULLS, 250 MEW GULLS, 10 RING-BILLED
GULLS, 35 HERRING GULLS (15 in Santa Clara Co.), and 12 THAYER'S
GULLS (7 in Santa Clara Co.). All morning, large numbers of gulls,
predominantly Californias, were flying south down the Santa Clara
Valley (seen from San Jose and Morgan Hill, both on the way down
and on the return trip at noon) to these waters. Four more
HOODED MERGANSERS (two pairs) were along the Pajaro River near
Hwy. 25, just across the river from Santa Clara County. At least
400 TREE SWALLOWS (with a few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS and one
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW) were also in the San Felipe Lake
area.
On the way back, I stopped at Laguna Avenue, south of Bailey Ave.
just south of San Jose. Here a flooded field contained 12 HOODED
MERGANSERS (1m, 11f) and a BONAPARTE'S GULL. Nearby Calero
Reservoir had an adult BALD EAGLE, 1 COMMON LOON, 10 SURF SCOTERS,
220 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 185 LESSER SCAUP, 29 COMMON GOLDENEYES,
65 BUFFLEHEADS, 1 COMMON MERGANSER, and 170 dabbling ducks of
five species.
Yesterday (9 Feb.), 2 pure male EURASIAN WIGEON and 6 LESSER
YELLOWLEGS were at Arzino Ranch along Los Esteros Road.
Today (10 Feb.), an adult PEREGRINE FALCON was along I-280 near
Hwy. 85. At the Palo Alto Baylands, only 110 SURF SCOTERS were
on the bay off the yacht harbor mouth. A first-winter male
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was also here, although it was several 100 meters
into San Mateo County. The duck pond had the imm. GREATER WHITE-
FRONTED GOOSE and the unusual large Mew-type Gull. Shoreline Lake
had a COMMON LOON, 320 SURF SCOTERS, a male RED-BREASTED MERGANSER,
22 HORNED GREBES, 175 LESSER and 80 GREATER SCAUP, 20 BUFFLEHEADS,
and 25 COMMON GOLDENEYES, but I saw no Barrow's Goldeneyes or
White-winged Scoters.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 10 13:13:34 1998
Subject: GOEA photo in San Martin
Hi South Bay Birders,
Yesterday afternoon, I was entering 101 north from San Martin Ave in San
Martin, south of Morgan Hill, when I noticed a large shape to my left, on the
depressed ground, in the triangle formed by San Martin, 101 and the northbound
on-ramp. I pulled off the on-ramp, grabbed my cameras, slowly walked toward
him, but stayed low out of sight, then stood up and got four shots of a golden
eagle taking off with a rabbit or ground squirrel (I think) in his talons.
Then I got about five seconds of video as he disappeared past the overpass.
Unfortunately, he was flying into the sun, so as usual, the pictures in my
mind were much better than the actual ones. The best one is at
http://pw2.netcom.com/~blutman/Golden.html.
He wasn't bothered at all by moving cars, but when he saw me raise up into
visibility, he took off, with a little trouble - like a loaded 747. As the
online British birders report, I had a crippling view.
Bob Lutman
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 10 22:44:08 1998
Subject: Bluebird
A neighbor on Bicknell (Los Gatos) was VERY excited. she and her husband
saw 3 WESTERN BLUEBIRD's checking out their owl birdhouse. They got so
excited they went to the store and bought a bluebird birdhouse and put it
up. However, it's been a week and they have not seen the bluebirds again.
They both work, so they could have just missed seeing them. I've never
seen a bluebird in my neighborhood before so thought this might be of
interest to you all.
gloria leblanc
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 13:08:53 1998
Subject: White-winged Scoters
All:
In yesterday's message, I forgot to mention that I had five CATTLE
EGRETS at the end of Nortech Pkwy. yesterday (10 Feb.).
Today (11 Feb.), I visited the Sunnyvale WPCP over lunch, finding
a basic-plumaged RED PHALAROPE in the channel between the two
ponds (near the pump) and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (ad. female?)
near the SW corner of pond A4. A CLAPPER RAIL far up Guadalupe
Slough very close to the WPCP itself was unusual in what is
probably mostly fresh water given the outflow from the plant
and the recent rains. At least 75% of the 1500 scaup on pond
A4 were GREATERS; I think this species has also shown an influx
in the last week. Later, Scott Terrill relocated my White-
winged Scoter and found another female/imm. type in the larger
of the two SWPCP ponds.
This evening, Scott and I scoped pond A-12 (just north of the
Alviso marina), finding 11 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS (all females
and imm. males) and a basic-plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE, which
Scott spotted right along the south shore of the pond, next
to the marina. One of the White-winged Scoters flew to the
marsh pond on the east side of the railroad tracks and was
still there when we left. Also present were about 200 SURF
SCOTERS.
This influx of WWSC into the county is, I would guess,
unprecedented, and it is clear that Surf Scoters, Red
Phalaropes, and Red-necked Grebes (and probably Greater
Scaup) have moved inland from the ocean as a result of
these storms. Birders should be on the lookout for more
individuals of these species on reservoirs and ponds in the
county after storms in the coming weeks. I think that more
intensive coverage of these areas, especially immediately
following storms, would produce even more unusual species
(possibly kittiwakes, rocky intertidal shorebirds, Brant,
Brandt's or Pelagic Cormorants, dare I hope for an alcid or
a tubenose?).
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 14:27:53 1998
Subject: WWSC,COLO,REPHAL
All,
On the way back to work today I scoped quickly from the Palo Alto
yacht harbor mouth and the Forebay end of Shoreline Lake, looking for
unusual ducks. Results were very similar to Steve's trip yesterday.
Off the yacht harbor there were hundreds of SURF SCOTERS, some very
close to shore, and the first-year male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was near
the first wooden structure offshore. I first found the bird well
right (south) of here, quite close to Santa Clara County waters - but
not quite there. It then swam to the platform. Also here were a pair
of vocal PEREGRINE FALCONS, the female (larger) chasing the male.
At the duck pond I got some decent photos of the large "Mew" Gull.
This bird appears to me to have at least some Ring-billed Gull genes
in it and, as Al noted, is easily passed off as a RBGU on a quick
look. It was one of the most aggresive birds there today, pecking at
many RBGU and chasing them off the posts. The vocalizations sounded
like RBGU, but somewhat scratchier and raspy. Unlike what Al J. noted
previously, the red orbital ring seemed similar in color to other
nearby Ring-billed Gulls. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still
present as well.
The immature COMMON LOON was swimming back and forth under the wooden
pier at the west end of Shoreline Lake, but the only other species of
note at this spot were 3 female-plumaged RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and
2 GREEN HERONS in the nearby Forebay.
Back at Ames I did a quick 5K run and practically ran over a
basic-plumaged RED PHALAROPE that was swimming at the northwest corner
of Moffett Field where the road is flooded. Returning later with a
camera, there were two RED PHALAROPES swimming there. These birds
should be easily visible from the Stevens Creek dike just north of
Crittenden Lane.
Mike Rogers
2/11/98
P.S. Recent Oldsquaws at Shoreline Lake:
2/12/95
2/25/96 to 2/27/96
2/13/97 to 2/16/97
It's that time again!!!
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 15:12:54 1998
Subject: Sunnyvale
All,
I just got a call from Steve Rottenborn who birded Sunnyvale at
noon today. He had yet another RED PHALAROPE near the pump station
in the channel between the two ponds and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in
the southwest corner of Salt Pond A4 (east of Sunnyvale) with a
few SURF SCOTERS. To get to the scoter take the trail on the
near side of the channel behind the sewage treatment plant. The
bird was in the first part of A4 you get to.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 16:31:15 1998
Subject: add to list
Not sure if this is correct way to be added, but I would appreciate
being added to the south-bay-birds list. My address is
email@hidden
Please let me know if I should send message to another address to be
added.
Thanks, John Luther
Oakland
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 20:51:08 1998
Subject: Scoter at CCRS + Mike's Gull.
Birders:
Today at CCRS I saw a White-winged Scoter at the waterbird pond, it
looked like an immature male. As far as I know this is a first record for
CCRS, and our second Scoter species since Surf has been seen. There were
also lots of scaup around, of both species, which is not usual.
At 02:27 PM 2/11/98 -0800, Dr. Michael M. Rogers wrote:
>
>At the duck pond I got some decent photos of the large "Mew" Gull.
>This bird appears to me to have at least some Ring-billed Gull genes
>in it and, as Al noted, is easily passed off as a RBGU on a quick
>look. It was one of the most aggresive birds there today, pecking at
>many RBGU and chasing them off the posts. The vocalizations sounded
>like RBGU, but somewhat scratchier and raspy. Unlike what Al J. noted
>previously, the red orbital ring seemed similar in color to other
>nearby Ring-billed Gulls. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still
>present as well.
I am also coming around to the thought that this odd bird may be a hybrid
between a Ring-billed Gull and a Mew Gull. I heard the bird over a week ago
and it sounded very much like a Ring-billed Gull, and not a Mew Gull. If
this is the case, then this hybrid combination is going to make
confirmation of a true 'Kamchatcka' Mew Gull very difficult. One small
thing I noticed was that the ring on the bill had become a little paler
than when I first saw it earlier in the winter. If this bird is a real
Kamchatka gull it should lose the ring on the bill by the time it is in
full alternate plumage. I assume that if it keeps it well into the breeding
plumage then it is more likely a Ring-billed x Mew Gull hybrid. I have
tried to get recordings once, but the time I had my equipment it was not
active. Vocalisations will become more common as the spring nears. I hope
to be able to make sonograms of the calls to see what that tells us about
this bird. I encourage people to go and have a look, and try to photograph
the thing with spread wings.
Regards,
Al.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Half Moon Bay,
California
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 11 21:52:16 1998
Subject: AGE/SEX SCOTERS
Birders:
Ok, its easy to tell when you have an adult male White-winged Scoter, but
what do you look for in the other age/sex classes? The bird I saw today was
dark brown, like a female, but it only showed one prominent white patch on
the face, at the bill base. I took this to be a sign of immaturity, but
assumed it was a young male. What do young females look like? Is this a
better guess for the CCRS bird? If Surf Scoters are a guide a young male
White-wing should probably show some black by now so the CCRS bird is
likely not a young male, but I am not sure. Do adult females change in
plumage between non-breeding and breeding? Its interesting to discover,
once again, that it takes a rarity for me to wake up and realize I don't
really know what a species really looks like. Given that I am not a big fan
of ducks, I have little to read on them as well. I would also not trust all
that is in European publications as they mainly deal with a very different
subspecies (species?) of the White-winged Scoter.
Al.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Half Moon Bay,
California
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 07:40:17 1998
Subject: Re: Ocean birds in the bay, WWSC
email@hidden wrote:
>
> Dear South Bay Birders,
>
> While on a cruise in Monterey Bay yesterday, Lucy and I noted a plume of muddy
> water extending offshore and several miles along the shoreline from the mouths
> of the Salinas and Pajaro Rivers near Moss Landing. The underwater visibility
> within this area is greatly reduced. Few birds were observed on the water
> within this plume. Several of the species being noted in the reservoirs and
> bay are species which forage inshore (Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Red-
> necked Grebe, Surf Scoter, and White-winged Scoter). I wonder if these muddy
> plumes may be part of the reason they are showing up in reservoirs etc?
Reduced visibility in inshore ocean waters may be part of the reason why
some species may be showing up inland, but I would guess that some of these
species (e.g., the scoters) don't find food visually. Also, the Red Phalaropes
would still be able to find food on top of the waters as long as food is
present. More important, I think, is whether the storms have caused reductions
in food availability or affected these species' ability to forage and/or
survive. For example, scoters that usually forage in relatively shallow
water must have gotten pounded in the surf zone last week.
By the way, this morning I saw a female/imm. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in San Tomas
Aquinas Creek immediately upstream from Hwy. 237 near Great America Parkway;
the bird was sitting on a small island in the channel, and was probably not
well. This afternoon, Scott Terrill and I had 6 female/imm. WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS in pond A12. More than fifty Aechmophorus grebes were here (more
than yesterday), but we didn't see the Red-necked Grebe.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 11:26:55 1998
Subject: Ocean birds in the bay & reservoirs
Dear South Bay Birders,
While on a cruise in Monterey Bay yesterday, Lucy and I noted a plume of muddy
water extending offshore and several miles along the shoreline from the mouths
of the Salinas and Pajaro Rivers near Moss Landing. The underwater visibility
within this area is greatly reduced. Few birds were observed on the water
within this plume. Several of the species being noted in the reservoirs and
bay are species which forage inshore (Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Red-
necked Grebe, Surf Scoter, and White-winged Scoter). I wonder if these muddy
plumes may be part of the reason they are showing up in reservoirs etc?
I will save any reports of seabirds in the bay & reservoirs. If anyone
observes such plumes elsewhere I would be interested in hearing about them.
There are still spots on cruises between Feb 23-27 if anyone is interested in
helping out with these surveys.
Tom
********************************************
Tom Ryan
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
1290 Hope St.
Alviso, CA 95002
(408) 946-6548
(408) 946-9279 fax
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 11:42:14 1998
Subject: Re: Ocean birds in the bay & reservoirs
email@hidden wrote:
>
> Dear South Bay Birders,
>
> I will save any reports of seabirds in the bay & reservoirs. If anyone
> observes such plumes elsewhere I would be interested in hearing about them.
>
While this is outside the SBB area, there was a huge "plume" of silt-laden water
emanating from San Francisco Bay through the Golden Gate when I was at the Cliff
House on Tuesday of this week. I would guess it's still occurring given that
the bay is a major drainage for CA rivers.
Mark Eaton
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 13:32:21 1998
Subject: Re: Ocean birds in the bay & reservoirs
lois and i had four black scoters on saturday among the huge
flock of surf (c. 600), as well as a sprinkling of white-winged.
wally goldfrank
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 13:54:42 1998
Subject: Re: Ocean birds in the bay & reservoirs
forgot to mention: this huge scoter flock was around the santa
cruz municipal pier, mostly on the east (more sheltered) side.
w
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 12 19:28:02 1998
Subject: Salt water birds reach Almaden Valley
Howdy South-bay-birders,
Today (2-12-98) Jolene Lange and I visited Almaden Lake Park and the
Coleman Road ponds in the late afternoon. To add to the spate of inland
scoter sightings, we saw 21 SURF SCOTERS on Almaden Lake near the creek
inflow, and 3 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on the pond behind the County Water
District building just north of Coleman. We also saw a COMMON LOON near
the 3 White-winged Scoters--he was doing a lot of splashing and wing
flapping. This is the first time I've ever seen scoters in the Almaden
Valley. Storm related? I THINK SO! No trace of the Western Gulls
reported earlier in the week, but then few gulls were around while we
were there.
John Mariani
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 13 10:43:40 1998
Subject: SFBBO orientation & open house
Dear South Bay Birders and East Bay Birders,
The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is seeking volunteer observers for the
upcoming field season (March-August 1998). Please come and join us for an
orientation & open house on February 17th or 18th from 7-9 pm at the SFBBO
office in Alviso. You will have a chance to meet our biologists, who will
introduce you to our various volunteer programs and to the avifauna of
southern San Francisco Bay. Our programs include observation and monitoring
of heron, egret and tern colonies in San Francisco Bay, as well as studies of
their nesting behavior and reproductive biology. If this interests you please
contact us at email@hidden or call our office (408) 946 6548 to RSVP and
receive directions. Please pass this along to friends, students and anyone
else who might be interested.
Cheers,
Tom
********************************************
Tom Ryan
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
1290 Hope St.
Alviso, CA 95002
(408) 946-6548
(408) 946-9279 fax
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 13 10:43:40 1998
Subject: SFBBO orientation & open house
Dear South Bay Birders and East Bay Birders,
The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is seeking volunteer observers for the
upcoming field season (March-August 1998). Please come and join us for an
orientation & open house on February 17th or 18th from 7-9 pm at the SFBBO
office in Alviso. You will have a chance to meet our biologists, who will
introduce you to our various volunteer programs and to the avifauna of
southern San Francisco Bay. Our programs include observation and monitoring
of heron, egret and tern colonies in San Francisco Bay, as well as studies of
their nesting behavior and reproductive biology. If this interests you please
contact us at email@hidden or call our office (408) 946 6548 to RSVP and
receive directions. Please pass this along to friends, students and anyone
else who might be interested.
Cheers,
Tom
********************************************
Tom Ryan
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
1290 Hope St.
Alviso, CA 95002
(408) 946-6548
(408) 946-9279 fax
email@hidden
From email@hidden Fri Feb 13 14:25:11 1998
Subject: County birds
All,
Today after leaving Mike Mammoser and the White-winged Scoters at Salt Pond
A-12, Frank Vanslager and I tried (and failed) to find Red Phalaropes and
Cattle Egrets in Arzino Ranch and the flooded fields of Alviso. We did find
four Burrowing Owls, a male Ring-necked Pheasant, several Whimbrel and the ad
Golden Eagle on one of the power towers near the entrance to the Environmental
Education Center. Finaly we went to Sunnyvale Baylands Park where we had an
ad male and a possible female Blue-winged Teal.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:07 PM, 2/13/98
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From email@hidden Sat Feb 14 21:37:47 1998
Subject: A12 birds, Saturday
Around 2:00PM, in the salt pond A12 in Alviso, there were atleast
3 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. 2 had a lot more white on the face, so may
have been imm. males, the third was a female/imm.
There were more Scoters further out on the pond, so there may have
been more White-wingeds.
Also swimming on the pond was an adult winter BONAPARTE'S GULL.
Vivek
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sat Feb 14 22:51:48 1998
Subject: Scoters
I've been offline for a couple of weeks but last weekend I saw 22 Surf
Scoters at the Campbell Ponds (only 2 stayed for any period). Today there
were 9 Surf Scoters there plus a couple of Hooded Mergansers. Today there
were 210 Surf and 7-8 White-winged Scoters still at Alviso (Mike Mammoser
walked out on the dykes and may have a more accurate count). Also 7 Cattle
Egrets on the Arzino Ranch. The Sewage Ponds by CCRS had a Horned Grebe and
20 each of both Scaups.
Last week, I saw 2 Glaucous Gulls at the Fremont Lagoons. I have seen 4
different birds here the past month.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 15 11:23:37 1998
Subject: CCRS notes.
Birders,
On Friday there was one Clark's Grebe at the CCRS waterbird pond. As well
there were 4 Canvasbacks there and 4 more on the ponds closer to the bay.
The WW Scoter was gone.
Al.
Alvaro Jaramillo
Half Moon Bay,
California
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 15 15:45:27 1998
Subject: Sunday birds
I saw 4 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS among many Surf Scoters scoping Salt Pond
A-12 from the Alviso Marina this morning.
Also saw a pair of BURROWING OWLS near the Sunnyvale WPCP parking lot, and
a SORA in the stream between the plant and Salt Pond A4.
Didn't that blue sky look good?
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 15 19:04:03 1998
Subject: Sunday birds
The American Bittern continued to perform well at the Mountain View
Forebay. There were 2 Barrow's Goldeneyes, 100 Surf Scoters, and one
White-winged Scoter on Shoreline Lake. A brief check of the Palo Alto duck
pond and yacht station failed to turn up anything, I also quickly checked
the base of the Dumbarton Bridge. Most of the birds were rather distant
although I did see one White-winged Scoter in flight. However I saw
probably over 150 scoters in flight that were all Surf, suggesting that
there aren't huge numbers of White-wingeds out there.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 16 07:53:22 1998
Subject: Inland Scoters
Hello Everyone,
I checked out some of the local ponds and reservoirs in my area and here's
my scoter count for Saturday, Feb 14:
Santa Clara Water District Pond (Almaden Expwy & Coleman): three WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS (probably the same ones seen by John Mariani earlier in the week)
Calero Reservoir: 12 SURF SCOTERS
Campbell Perc Pond (main pond): 40 SURF SCOTERS
Vasona Reservoir: 7 SURF SCOTERS
Almaden Lake: No scoters seen, but checked out the gull flocks anyway.
There were fewer gulls this time and not so many Herring Gulls with more
California and Ring-billed in the mix. Of note were three THAYER'S GULLS
and one WESTERN GULL.
Also of interest on Feb 14 were the following birds: a SPOTTED SANDPIPER
at the Water District pond; three WILD TURKEYS along Alamitos Rd leading
into the Twin Creeks community; only one WOOD DUCK (a female) seen upstream
at Almaden Reservoir; an OSPREY seen overhead late in the afternoon headed
toward Almaden Reservoir as I was leaving the area; and COMMON MERGANSERS
seen at Almaden Lake, Calero Reservoir, Almaden Reservoir, and the Water
District pond.
Bye for now - Ann Verdi
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 16 08:44:54 1998
Subject: Alviso ponds
All:
Today (16 Feb.), I walked all the way around the Alviso salt ponds,
thinking that with all the good birds on A-12, there must have
been more on the other ponds. Wrong. The one-minute walk from
the marina parking lot to A-12 produced a basic-plumaged RED-
THROATED LOON and 13 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. The four-hour walk
in rain and very strong winds around the rest of the ponds turned
up only an adult PEREGRINE FALCON and an AMERICAN BITTERN along
Alviso Slough. Only about 350 GREATER and 100 LESSER SCAUP,
260 SURF SCOTERS (most on A-12), 6 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 100
BUFFLEHEADS, and 45 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were on the ponds.
No pelicans, only 5 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and 1 BONAPARTE'S
GULL (the BOGU have really cleared out in the past month).
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 16 10:49:42 1998
Subject: Hoodies
Hi Everyone--
On Saturday (2/14), there were 6 female-plumaged HOODED MERGANSERS in
Barron Creek behind the Foothill Park research complex near Arastradero
and Foothill Expressway. Some of these birds have substantial yellow in
the bill and some have rather gray faces contrasting with their
red-brown crests. I thought perhaps this was a family group.
Mark Miller
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 16 13:02:41 1998
Subject: Another Glaucous Gull
I had another Glaucous Gull, this time a second-winter, at the Fremont
Lagoons this morning. There was also incredible array of Glaucous x Herring
hybrids, with at least 3 definite ones and another 4-5 probables.
Since a number of people have asked how to get to this location, here are
directions:
Exit on Gateway from 880 (This is about 2 miles N of the 880/237
intersection). Head W to Fremont. Then S on Fremont to it dead ends. Walk R
on the dike to the intertidal area at the base of the landfill.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 16 13:58:07 1998
Subject: birds
On Friday, 13 Feb 98, I went to the Sunnyvale sewage ponds to look for =
some of the recent rarities. A BURROWING OWL was on the side of =
the old landfill, and a GREEN HERON was in Moffet Channel. Also, a =
WESTERN GREBE was looking a little out of place in Moffet =
Channel, all the way up by the sewage plant outflow pipe. Salt pond A4 =
had quite a few birds, including large numbers of SURF SCOTERS and =
GREATER SCAUP (as Steve had noted). I finally found one of the =
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in the far southeast corner of the pond. =
Unfortunately, it flew just before Bob Reiling and Frank Vanslager =
arrived. =
So we all headed for Alviso, and salt pond A12. Here we found 9 =
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. Two of these birds looked to be =
immature males, with dark heads, pale eyes, and no white markings on =
the head. One other bird looked to be an adult female, being quite =
darker brown than the others with clean, well-defined white spots both =
behind and in front of the eye. The rest seemed to be immatures, =
probably females?
On Saturday, 14 Feb 98, I started out at the Los Gatos perc ponds, =
where I quickly found the COMMON LOON on the north-most pond. I =
was unable to find any Hooded Mergansers on the Oka ponds, though.
I then returned to Alviso to look for more scoters on other ponds. I =
walked out the levee, in spite of the mud, and was able to find 14 =
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on salt pond A12. Surprisingly, A13 =
only had a few SURF SCOTERS, and A15 had none at all. I wonder =
what attracts them to the inner pond? I did see both species of scoter on =
this pond bringing up some type of mollusk to eat, which they =
swallowed whole in spite of its large size. The skies then opened up, =
forcing me back to the car.
On Sunday, 15 Feb 98, I walked the levees at the Sunnyvale sewage =
ponds out to salt pond A3W. There was nothing unusual here, except =
maybe for the large number of GREATER SCAUP that were on the =
smaller sewage pond. Also, a pair of BURROWING OWLS was on the =
hillside next to the parking lot.
Monday, 16 Feb 98, I did some car birding in the rain down in the south =
county. Almaden Lake Park had a single RED-BREASTED =
MERGANSER and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Calero Reservoir had =
the adult BALD EAGLE. Chesbro Reservoir had a male OSPREY =
eating a fish. This could be the same bird that had been spending time at =
Ogier ponds. I drove over there to see if I could find an Osprey, but the =
entrance road is washed out again.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 17 11:31:04 1998
Subject: White-Winged Scoters
All: Monday, around noon, Maria and I saw two White-Winged Scoters in
Shoreline Lake. They seemed to stay together, and flew over the lake once
or twice. Almost no white on the head. There were also many Surf Scoters
there, one or two Red-Breasted Mergansers, and some Goldeneyes (but we saw no
Barrows).
Yours, John Meyer
********************************************************************
John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305
email@hidden (650) 723 1868
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 17 12:25:36 1998
Subject: Les Chibana is New Bureaucrat
Les Chibana has graciously agreed to take over south-bay-birds list
administration duties from me. As always, list-related mail should
go to
email@hidden
so that it gets to the correct person, regardless of who is acting as
list-owner.
I should be around for another couple of months, and look forward to
seeing a few more exciting birds before I leave.
Happy birding to all,
Jeff Finger
Bureaucrat Emeritus
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From email@hidden Tue Feb 17 12:31:14 1998
Subject: 7 White-winged Scoter still in Alviso
All:
Since I am working a later shift this week, I thought I would check on
the Scoters in Alviso on the way to work this morning. Sure enough
there were still 7 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS among the many SURF SCOTERS on
Pond A-12, the first pond to the north of the Marina. None of the
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were adult males.
Particularly absent on Pond A-12 were NORTHERN SHOVELERS. There were
about a dozen shovelers on the pond east of the railroad tracks which
used to be the field where the LESSER-BLACK-BACKED GULL had been in the
past.
There was one RED-BREASTED MERGANSER on Pond A-12 and 9 more on the
first pond to the north.
Last Thursday , February 12th, I checked out the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds
in the rain and found there only one female SURF SCOTER and no
phalaropes. Here too NORTHERN SHOVELERS were absent except for one
pair.
If you want to check out the Alviso Ponds, be prepared for rain and mud.
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 12:29:28 1998
Subject: Dumbarton Bridge birds
All:
This morning (18 Feb.) I spent an hour or so looking over the bay at
the SW end of the Dumbarton Bridge and on the adjacent salt ponds.
More than 2100 SURF SCOTERS were on the bay, and I was able to pick
5 female/imm. OLDSQUAWS, 1 ad. male BLACK SCOTER, and 2 female/imm.
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS out of them. The light on many of the birds
was not great, so I'm sure I missed more WWSC and BLSC (and who knows
what else) among the SUSC. Another female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was
on the small triangular marsh pond on the NW side of the bridge.
While scoping the birds on the bay on the NW side of the bridge, I
was amazed to see an alternate-plumaged COMMON MURRE flying east
over the bay. I followed the bird until it crossed under the bridge,
but after running to the other side, I was unable to relocate it to
see where it headed.
Large numbers of ducks were also on the salt ponds near the bridge.
I did not have time to do these birds justice, and I'm sure that I
missed something good (no Tufted Duck!) here. A single female
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was the best bird among more than 1950 (!)
BUFFLEHEADS, 1600 SCAUP (mostly Lesser), 225 COMMON GOLDENEYES,
and 145 BONAPARTE'S GULLS. There were also 3 HORNED LARKS here.
I later checked the bay off the Palo Alto Baylands, finding only
100 or so SURF SCOTERS. A blue-bodied, white-headed BUDGERIGAR was
perched with Brewer's Blackbirds on the wires near the duck pond.
Scott Terrill and I briefly looked over pond A-12 in Alviso, but
without scopes, three WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were the best we could
do. The ad. male MERLIN was near the Alviso marina as well.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 12:48:27 1998
Subject: Loons at Stanford
All:
I got a message from Stu Weiss of Paul Ehrlich's lab at Stanford
reporting 3+ loons (Common or Pacific) on Lagunita this morning
(18 Feb.) among large numbers of ducks.
If any Stanford-area birders have time to check this out,
please let us know what you find.
Thanks,
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 13:52:46 1998
Subject: Gulls
At the Fremont Lagoons today were 2 first-winter Glaucous Gulls. Also a
leucistic adult California Gull was seen, that had a significant
superficial resemblance to an Iceland Gull when sitting on the water.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 15:06:51 1998
Subject: Skimmers
A lunchtime stop at the Palo Alto Baylands didn't turn up anything
unusual out in the Bay, but there were 12 Black Skimmers resting just
inside the estuary mouth. Also, the Greater White-Fronted Goose continues
at the duck pond.
Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 16:44:02 1998
Subject: RSHA at Stevens Creek Park
I saw a territorial pair of Red-shouldered Hawks evict a pair of Red-tails at
Stevens Creek Park (below the dam) this morning. Looks like they'll be
nesting again this year. cjcoston
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 16:45:01 1998
Subject: Opportunities
South Bay Birders,
A couple of requests for bird-related assistance has come my way and I
thought that there may be some of you who may be interested.
1) Beginning Birdwatching/Birding Instructor at Palo Alto Adult
Education. The Adult School would like to get a beginning class started again as
they have been without one for a couple of years. This is a great
opportunity for those of you who feel that you have a lot to share in the birding
arena. There is a lot of satisfaction derived from getting newbies started
in our wonderful addiction. E-mail me if you are interested or have
questions, or get in touch with Jeannine Hart at the Adult School, 650-329-3752
or email@hidden.
2) Photographers: A docent, Marty Oetzel, at Filoli Gardens in San Mateo
County has asked for a photographer who is interested in helping them to
get some shots of Western Bluebirds at nest boxes that Howard Rathlesberger
built and installed. There are currently pairs of birds at at least two
of the 31 boxes installed. Contact Howard at 650-367-1296 or
email@hidden if interested.
Les
==========================================
Les Chibana, Mountain View email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 18 23:55:21 1998
Subject: Re: Some birds
email@hidden wrote:
>
> All,
> The hybrid hummer was doing an Anna's type of territorial
> display flight but the "pop" at the bottom of the loop was of a much higher
> tone (saying something about the wingtips?).
I don't know whether it has been proven that the "pop" of ANHU is a vocal
sound (and therefore not produced by the wings), but I think it is vocal.
The "zing" of COHU is made vocally. In addition to the difference you
mentioned above, the Alviso bird's display call is given over a much longer
portion of the display flight than that of ANHU (though shorter than pure
COHU).
> I also noted that the tail
> feathers did not show any white at the tips which seems strange since both
> Anna's and Costa's do have white tail tips!
Adult male ANHU and COHU show no white tail tips, and the Alviso bird is
an adult male.
I'm glad the bird's still around! If it mates with a female Anna's and
produces F2 hybrids, then we're all in trouble!
Steve Rottenborn
>
> Take care,
> Bob Reiling, 7:02 AM, 2/19/98
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 19 07:21:28 1998
Subject: Some birds
All,
Before Frank Vanslager and I saw Nick Lethaby at the Freemont Tidal Lagoons
(one essentially all white and one off-white Glaucous Gull plus the adrenalin
producing leucistic California Gull) we had the Alviso ad male Merlin in a
power tower on the southern edge of Grand Ave, five Cattle Egrets in Arzino
Ranch and the hybrid ad male Anna's x Costa's Hummingbird at the Environmental
Education Center. The hybrid hummer was doing an Anna's type of territorial
display flight but the "pop" at the bottom of the loop was of a much higher
tone (saying something about the wingtips?). I also noted that the tail
feathers did not show any white at the tips which seems strange since both
Anna's and Costa's do have white tail tips!
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 7:02 AM, 2/19/98
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From email@hidden Thu Feb 19 18:27:53 1998
Subject: Loons at Stanford - not
I checked Lake Lag during a break in the rain this afternoon. No loons.
Added to the previous mix of CALIFORNIA GULLS, MALLARDS, RUDDY DUCKS,
oodles of BUFFLEHEAD, maybe a dozen SURF SCOTERS, a few LESSER SCAUP and
COMMON GOLDENEYE, plus HORNED, EARED & PIED-BILLED GREBES, were a dozen
RING-NECKED DUCKS and a couple of MEW GULLS.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 20 11:28:34 1998
Subject: EAPH, etc.
Hi Everyone--
I drove down to Moss Landing harbor this morning. In the gull roost on Jetty
Rd., there's a LAUGHING GULL and a very pale, small-billed gull that sure
looks like an Iceland, but I'd be curious to hear what others think of it.
On the way back I stopped at Shady Oaks Park and saw the EASTERN PHOEBE in
its usual spot near the blue jungle gym (a 3 phoebe day).
Mark Miller
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 20 12:42:29 1998
Subject: Re: EAPH, etc.
On Fri, 20 Feb 1998 11:28:34 -0800, "Miller, Mark"
wrote:
>a very pale, small-billed gull that sure
>looks like an Iceland, but I'd be curious to hear what others think of it.
You might want to check out Don Roberson's description and discussion
of that bird at http://www.nbhc.com/birdwg01/j8021706.htm and the
subsequent discussion at http://www.nbhc.com/birdwg01/.
--
Joseph Morlan Spring Birding Classes begin Feb 17 in SF:
380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://hills.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Pacifica, CA 94044 email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 20 16:21:39 1998
Subject: Iceland Gull
Hi Everyone--
Here are some notes that I made this morning regarding the ICELAND GULL at
Moss Landing Harbor on 2/20. I arrived around 7:30, and left around 9:00
(tide was falling); there were only a few scattered clouds. I got close
views from Jetty Road with a Swarovski scope at 60x. The gulls were roosting
on a small sand spit about half way between the entrance kiosk and the end
of the road. Except when helicopters buzzed the spit, the gulls didn't go
anywhere. The Iceland, in particular, spent most of its time sleeping at the
edge of the flock. I have to say that if the bird is not an Iceland, it's
the most ungodly pale Thayer's I've ever seen. Seen with Thayer's, and
similar in overall size and shape. Not one black feather on it anywhere; in
some views, the edges of the outermost two primaries looked white, with the
feather centers looking pale tan with some wavy white lines visible
(Thayer's outer primary pattern is uniform, and much darker). The primary
extension looked fairly long, extending beyond the tail. Bill was entirely
black, with bright pinkish-purple mouth lining (same shade as feet--legs
were a bit lighter). The pattern of marbling on the wing coverts was similar
to Thayer's, but paler everywhere (wider pale edgings, paler centers). The
chest was white; the head was largely white, with the merest hint of grayish
in the face, paler than any known Thayer's present. Rump with pale tan
marbling, same shade as the back. Tail pale tan, without any obvious
terminal band. Substantial feather wear was noticeable, but the bird didn't
have the bleached look of a late molter. Bill was similar in structure to
Thayer's, but looked shorter because the feather line seemed to extend
farther out from the face; general appearance was rather small-headed. I did
not attempt to census the flock, but it included many Herring of various
ages, maybe 20 Thayer's of various ages, California, Western, Western x
Glaucous-winged, Ring-billed, 2 Heermann's, and a Laughing. The Westerns
were largely in the water, whereas the others were sleeping on the sand
spit.
Mark Miller
PS: I don't subscribe to CALBIRD; please forward as appropriate.
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From email@hidden Fri Feb 20 16:22:58 1998
Subject: Lagunita, Dumbarton Br.
All: Maria and I checked Lake Lagunita at Stanford Thursday about 3:30. A
variety of birds, as reported by Tom Grey, but no Loons.
We checked the
bay from around the west end of the Dumbarton Bridge this morning: no Oldsquaw.
Bad light made it hard to see if there were any Black Scoters, but we didn't
see any White-Winged Scoters. (Note that with flooding from the last big
rain, access here is difficult: one has to get there from the east
(Fremont), as
access to the frontage road from the west is closed off.)
John Meyer
********************************************************************
John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305
email@hidden (650) 723 1868
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 22 00:27:59 1998
Subject: Saturday, Palo Alto birds
On Barron's Creek, behind the Foothill Research Park complex
(Asatradero and Foohill Expwy.), there were 2 female, and one imm.
male HOODED MERGANSERs. A BELTED KINGFISHER was also active in the
area. On the bicycle path, east of the creek, there was a HERMIT THRUSH.
This was around 3:00PM.
At Lagunita Lake, there was a male and a female BARROW's GOLDENEYE.
Lots of RING-NECKED DUCKs. On the narrow part of the lake, at the
Campus Drive West end, there were four pairs of WOOD DUCKs. As I
watched 2 more males flew in and joined the others.
No sign of loons.
After that I checked out the Mtn. View Forebay. The AMERICAN BITTERN
was putting on a good show. A SORA was also moving about in the open.
A BELTED KINGFISHER, and 2 GREEN HERONs were in the channel that feeds
the Forebay at the end of Terminal Blvd.
Vivek Tiwari
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 22 16:20:03 1998
Subject: scoters, etc.
All:
Last Thursday (19 Feb.), Scott Terrill and I counted 17 female and
imm. male WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in salt pond A-12. During the height
of the storm, Scott had an AMERICAN BITTERN fly by the office
heading from the vicinity of New Chicago Marsh toward Alviso Slough.
Later, I found two pure male EURASIAN WIGEON (one of which was
apparently mated to a female EURASIAN WIGEON) and the male hybrid
AMERICAN x EURASIAN WIGEON in the flooded fields at Arzino Ranch
near the EEC entrance road.
Yesterday (21 Feb.), Scott had an ad. male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, a
PACIFIC LOON, and a COMMON LOON at the Los Gatos Creek County Park
ponds. Today (22 Feb.), Heather, Rebecca, and I visited those ponds
and saw the ad. male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, two COMMON LOONS, 30 THAYER'S
GULLS, 2 SURF SCOTERS, and 3 HOODED MERGANSERS (1 male).
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Sun Feb 22 21:18:54 1998
Subject: Dumbarton Bridge + Lake Cunningham
Hi:
The Lesser Black-backed Gull is still at Lake Cunningham. It's now showing
more dark gray in the upperparts. There is a hint of pink coming in to the
bill base, although it still looks dark at any range.
I also spent some time at Dumbarton Pier (E. side of Dumbarton Bridge).
There were not as many scoters as Steve Rottenborn had, but I still saw 2
Oldaquaws and 2 White-winged Scoters. There is also a tame banded Common
Murre (lame in the right leg) here that waits around off the end of the
Pier to get fed (this eventually paid off for it because some fisherman
started throwing anchovies at it!). This is presumably the same bird as
Steve found as it's in summer plumage.
Nick
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 23 07:41:51 1998
Subject: Western Tanager
On Sunday morning (Feb. 22), Ron Thorn and I saw a male Western Tanager
(still) along San Francisquito Creek. The bird was seen on the San Mateo Co.
side, opposite the end of Webster St. One (possibly the same, but more
likely not) was also heard calling a bit downstream. The Euc's where the
Tanagers were originally found (at Middlefield) have only a few flowers now.
Note that the flooding has eliminated some of the trees which had been
anchored in the banks of the creek, but there is still much good habitat.
Other birds included a California Thrasher on the Palo Alto side, near
Tasso St.
Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 23 08:07:27 1998
Subject: weekend birds
In the clear patch on Sunday morning, I swung by Lake Lag and found Vivek
Tiwari's WOOD DUCKS over at the far end of the narrow part, by the gold
driving range. On to Shoreline, where 11 BLACK SKIMMERS flew from
Charleston Slough over to Shoreline Lake, first time I've seen them go
there.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 23 19:37:26 1998
Subject: Almaden Lake birds
Howdy South-bay-birders,
Stopped at Almaden Lake Park this afternoon to see if any storm-petrels
or albatrosses were blown there by the storm. No luck. But I did find
some more evidence of "saltwater intrusion"--at least 3 RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS with the usual bunch of COMMON MERGANSERS. Another Almaden
Valley first? There was also a male GREATER SCAUP on the lake. Can't
wait to see what the next storm sends this way--
John Mariani
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Feb 23 21:55:39 1998
Subject: Surf Scoter in Milpitas
A male Surf Scoter has now showed up at Hidden Lake in Milpitas.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 25 10:08:13 1998
All,
Yesterday 2/24/98 Nick Lethaby and I spent several hours at the Newby
Island Landfill looking through the vast gull flock that has built up
over there. The task is clearly daunting and we probably missed more
goodies than we saw, but there is no lack of stuff to look at. Our
estimates of the common species included 20,000 HERRING GULLS, 8,000
CALIFORNIA GULLS, 800 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, 350 THAYER'S GULLS, 200
WESTERN GULLS, and 10 RING-BILLED GULLS. Highlights included an adult
GLAUCOUS GULL, three (perhaps four) first-winter GLAUCOUS GULLS, and
numerous odd-ball gulls that may have included various hybrids.
We did find some very pale THAYER'S GULLS/KUMLIEN'S ICELAND GULLS.
Many of the first and second-winter gulls were very bleached (not
necessarily worn though) resulting in very pale individuals. Thus it
is hard to be sure whether one is looking at a pale gull or a bleached
gull. We saw several birds that we called VERY pale THAYER'S GULLS
with upperparts and wings that approached the coloration of a Glaucous
Gull. These birds did, however, had solid pale tan centers to the
tertials, lacking any marbling in their interiors. Then Nick picked
out a bird with nearly completely white tertials and primaries. There
were just a few scallop-like markings in the tertials, but if the
solid center had ever been there it was bleached away except for
perhaps the tip of this mark. As Steve noted on his Kumlien's Iceland
Gulls, this bird appeared a dingy pale tan and gray on the body and
mostly chalk white on the back, coverts, and wing tips. The bill was
mostly black (perhaps paling slightly at the base) and was not large
by Thayer's Gull standards, but was not very short like those of many
Iceland Gulls. The head was also not as smoothly rounded as on many
Iceland Gulls. The bird was very pale in flight and the tail lacked a
dark bar, being similar to Steve's description as well. I got many
photos of this bird, including some flight shots, so hopefully a study
of them will be instructive.
Other interesting birds included several probable GLAUCOUSxHERRING
GULLS. I got some very close photos of a second-winter bird that
appeared very similar in size and coloration to a Glaucous Gull, but
with some brown mixed in the primaries. Similarly we had at least 3
birds that appeared similar to first-winter Glaucous Gulls (nice
marbled paterns, white primaries etc) but lacked the pink base to the
bill. Perhaps these may have been GLAUCOUSxGLAUCOUS-WINGED hybrids,
or perhaps they were atypical GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS (although the
marbled pattern on these birds is unlike typical GWGUs and it might be
surprising to see such pale primaries without similar bleaching in the
rest of the upperparts). We also had some birds that were either huge
THAYER'S GULLS or GLAUCOUS-WINGEDxHERRING GULL (or some other?)
hybrids. Nick speculated that a dark-eyed HERRING GULL with
THAYER'S-like build and proportions and an intermediate wing-tip
pattern may have been a THAYER'SxHERRING GULL hybrid. I got photos of
many (most) of these birds, so any gull fans will be welcome to add
their opinions (assuming the photos come out OK).
Also had one last bird that defied our guesses (no photos
unfortunately). This was a large first-year gull that was quite dark,
but had a very prominent marbled pattern with clear white on the back.
Two generations of tertials were present. The lower tertials were
very worn with frayed tips and mostly pale tan in color. The
uppermost tertial was fresh, with a broad white tip, a black
subterminal band and a mottled DARK gray interior, this gray being
much darker than that of an adult smithsonianus Herring Gull. The
hefty bill was mostly black.
Heading back through Alviso I had the hybrid EURASIANxAMERICAN WIGEON
south of Los Esteros Road, along with a pure EURASIAN WIGEON. The
hybrid is a neat looking bird, appearing mostly AMERICAN from head on
but EURASIAN from the rear. (The front half of the face and body are
AMWI-like, whereas the rear half of the face and body are EUWI-like).
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 25 13:46:52 1998
Subject: swallows
All,
Today at mid-day there were 35+ swallows foraging over the
flooded fields behind NASA-Ames and nearby Crittenden Marsh.
Most were VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, but there were also several
TREE SWALLOWS, at least one NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW,
and a WHITE-THROATED SWIFT in the mix as well.
Mike
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From email@hidden Wed Feb 25 16:47:09 1998
Subject: Wednesday Field Trip
Thirteen birders spent a dry morning at Palo Alto's Foothill Park today
(2/25). We saw or heard birds of 46 species. Red-shouldered Hawks were
loudly evident. Ravens were carrying large sticks for a nest in a site w=
e
didn't find. On the lake were Ruddy Ducks, Mallards, and one each of
Canvasback, Common Goldeneye, Gadwall, and Hooded Merganser (probably an
immature male). Two swallows, one clearly a Violet-green and the other a
likely candidate, were flying above the lake.
Rosalie Lefkowitz =
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