Parent
From email@hidden Mon Jul 03 00:57:07 2000
Subject: [SBB] Saturday birding, etc.
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Howdy South-bay-birders,
Lately I've been seeing VAUX'S SWIFTS on my morning commutes, at about
7:00-7:30am, along Coleman near Meridian Avenue in San Jose. They seem to be
regular there at that time of day.
Saturday we had a class field trip, starting in New Almaden at the
Almaden Quicksilver Park trailhead. Near the trailhead parking area we saw a
pair of COOPER'S HAWKS, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER,
WESTERN TANAGER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. An AMERICAN ROBIN was observed
at its nest in a sycamore there.
At the upper end of Almaden Reservoir there were GREAT and SNOWY EGRETS,
species that until the last year or so I had never seen there (sign of a
local population increase?). An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was singing upstream
at Twin Creeks.
Driving up Mt. Umunhum Road we saw a pair of CALIFORNIA QUAIL cross the
road followed by a brood of downy young. At the upper end of Guadalupe
Reservoir there was a female COMMON MERGANSER with half-grown young.
Considering that there are at least 3 broods of young mergansers at Almaden
Lake Park, and that there have been other broods at Almaden Reservoir, the
local breeding population seems to be doing really well this season. BLACK
PHOEBES have a nest with 4 young on the side of the large rock where the
creek enters the reservoir.
In the afternoon Cindy Cummings and I visited Almaden Lake Park. The
pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES were on the little island of reeds in the
middle of the lake. At the stream inflow there was a lone COMMON MOORHEN,
and a bunch of young COMMON MERGANSERS were resting on the rocks and diving
in the water below the bridge (attention photographers! Good photo ops
here). The number of terns at the lake is the most I've ever seen there,
with 80+ FORSTER'S TERNS and 1-2 CASPIAN TERNS.
Question: I saw quite a few Forster's Terns that appeared to be in basic
plumage (having dark eye patches rather than a solid black crown ). These
were not juvenile birds (no brown coloration). Do Forster's Terns not gain
full maturity until their second year?
John Mariani
email@hidden
http://www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 03 06:18:24 2000
--------
I birded around Shoreline and Charleston Slough today, 3 Jul 00. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK over Shoreline Road was interesting. There were the usual 3 SURF SCOTERS on the lake by themselves. There was no evidence of skimmers on the little island in salt pond A1, though the FORSTER'S TERNS are doing quite well.
Adobe Creek had 519 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS, and the presence of juveniles would indicate that many are returnees from the breeding grounds. Also on the creek was a basic-plumaged dowitcher, which I assume is an oversummering bird, and a very worn GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL.
A few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS have made their way to the bay edge and were over the north pond of the Palo Alto flood control basin with the other swallow regulars.
A first-year type HERRING GULL was at the duck pond. Of course, there are small numbers of RING-BILLED and WESTERN hanging here with the CALIFORNIAS as well.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 03 09:31:55 2000
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Folks:
This morning, 7/3/2000, I saw two adult and five imm. BROWN PELICANS
feeding with the large flock of AM. WHITE PELICANS in Salt Pond A1.
Bill
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 03 09:46:00 2000
Subject: [SBB] Almaden Lake / Common Merganser behavior
--------
On Saturday, my son and my father and I went to Almaden Lake to have a look
at the grackles. We only saw the male on the reedy island. There were lots
of Common Mergansers, including a group of around 12 females/juveniles that
appeared to be hunting cooperatively. They would swim and dive in unison
and seemed to be driving fish towards the shallows where several Snowy
Egrets were waiting to take advantage of the situation. It had the
appearance of a feeding frenzy. When I got home, I looked in two books
("The Birder's Handbook" and "Lives of North American Birds") and found no
reference to cooperative hunting by Common Mergansers, though both books
mentioned this behavior by Red-breasted Mergansers. Has anyone else seen
Common Mergansers do this?
Don Ganton
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 10:30:39 2000
--------
Hi SBBers,
I'm testing the listserver to see if not having a subject line prevents the
[SBB] tag from appearing. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Les
--
Les Chibana
List Bureaucrat
South-Bay-Birds List
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 10:53:12 2000
Subject: [SBB] SBB list administrivia
--------
SBBers,
It appears that if you don't provide a subject line in your posts
to the SBB list, the Stanford Majordomo listserver doesn't insert
the [SBB] tag into the subject line. A few of our subscribers have
noted that it's an issue of concern when SBB posts arrive without
the identifying tag. This is understandable in light of the spam
and viruses that proliferate on the Internet. So for the sake of
those for whom this is a problem, please enter some descriptor in
the subject line so that the [SBB] is automatically added.
I have also plugged an overlooked and not-often-used hole in our
list so that non-subscribed addresses can no longer post to the
list. Some of you may remember the spam that stirred us up a
while back.
Thanks for your time. And now, back to birds!
Les
--
Les Chibana
List Bureaucrat
South-Bay-Birds List
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 10:55:41 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] SBB list administrivia
--------
At 10:53 AM -0700 7/5/00, Les Chibana wrote:
>SBBers,
>
>It appears that if you don't provide a subject line in your posts
>to the SBB list, the Stanford Majordomo listserver doesn't insert
>the [SBB] tag into the subject line. A few of our subscribers have
>noted that it's an issue of concern when SBB posts arrive without
>the identifying tag.
To be honest, you shouldn't be filtering based on subject line anyway
-- filter on the Sender line, which always identifies the list
properly no matter what.
--
Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:email@hidden)
Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:email@hidden)
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'"
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 11:25:58 2000
Subject: [SBB] Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2000 11:24:58 +0100
--------
On Monday, 3 Jul 00, I stopped at Almaden Lake Park, where I found the pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES. The male spent the entire time I was there sitting in the top of the bulrushes on the little island, occasionally singing. The female came out of the bulrushes at one point and began foraging around one end of the big island and along the edge of the lake itself near the picnic tables. I saw her carrying some items as she foraged, but by the time she returned to the little island, she was not carrying anything. If she has a nest, she is probably incubating at this time.
There were also up to 4 juvenile GREEN HERONS on the big island being attended and fed by adults.
At least 2 broods of nearly-grown young COMMON MERGANSERS were on the lake as well.
On Tuesday, 4 Jul, a CASPIAN TERN was at Chesbro Reservoir.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 11:44:35 2000
Subject: [SBB] ccfs BIRDS
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I checked CCFS again on July 1 and July 3. I also checked the Calabasas Pond
on July 3 but these had no shorebird habitat.
The pond just south of the trailers continues to have plenty of birds with
increasing numbers of Western Sandpipers. On the second visit many of these
were close enough to check for Semi-P Sands but I had no luck. On July 1,
there were 5 male B-W Teal. Since there were no male Cinnamon Teal that day, I
suspect most of the female types were BW Teal too. I had one female for sure
and most of the others were not warm colored, although that doesn't rule out
juv Cinnamon Teal in my experience.
Nick Lethaby
Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc.
Tel: 408 360 2131
e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 05 18:07:58 2000
Subject: [SBB] Bank Swallow.
--------
Birders:
While conducting a survey at the waterbird pond at CCFS today a nice Bank
Swallow flew over. It was in a large flock of Cliff Swallows which also
held one VIolet-green and one Northern Rough-wing. I had outstanding looks
at the Bank Swallow, giving me ample opportunity to confirm the
identification and make sure that it was not a juvenile Tree Swallow. This
is my first Bank Swallow at CCFS.
cheers,
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo
Senior Biologist
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
Alviso, CA 95002
(408)-946-6548
http://www.sfbbo.org/
Home of the California Fall Challenge!!
email@hidden
Birds of Chile and
New World Blackbirds at : http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 07:58:10 2000
Subject: [SBB] Some birds from Henry Coe, 7/2 - 7/4
--------
We decided to take advantage of the relatively mild
weekend weather and headed into Henry Coe State Park
for a 3-day backpacking trip. Our route took us past
Frog Lake to Skeels Meadow, then up to Mt. Sizer, down
to Los Cruzeros, and back via the Narrows. Bird
activity ranged from completely dead to very exciting;
the best spot was at Los Cruzeros where we camped the
second night. A CANYON WREN was working the large
boulder immediately opposite our campsite. We wandered
upstream a bit to find a lot of activity near the
water, including bathing LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. There
were at least 4 or 5 of them in a nearby tree. Also
seen there were BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, WESTERN KINGBIRDS,
and numerous CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
Perhaps the best bird of the trip was one for which I
can not confirm the ID. Near the top of Mt. Sizer we
got a brief glimpse of a grayish empid on a snag. I
did not get a chance to register the bill color but
there was only a faint eyering if any. It flew off and
we didn't see it again but could hear it giving a
short 2 or 3 syllable scolding call. In listening to
all the empid calls last night it most closely
resembled WILLOW FLYCATCHER -- but would that be the
right habitat?
Complete list of sightings is below.
David Armstrong
Turkey Vulture
California Quail
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Acorn Woodpecker
Black Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Hutton's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Western Scrub Jay
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Canyon Wren
House Wren
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Wrentit
California Thrasher
Willow Flycatcher
Hermit Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Lark Sparrow
Common Raven
Northern rough-winged Swallow
Dark-eyed Junco
Band-tailed Pigeon
Western Meadowlark
White-breasted Nuthatch
Bullock's Oriole
Purple Finch
Bewick's Wren
Lawrence's Goldfinch
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 09:12:33 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Some birds from Henry Coe, 7/2 - 7/4
--------
CORRECTION
We did not have hermit warbler on this trip. It snuck
in there when I was cutting and pasting from a
checklist -- apologies.
--- David Armstrong wrote:
> We decided to take advantage of the relatively mild
> weekend weather and headed into Henry Coe State Park
> for a 3-day backpacking trip. Our route took us past
> Frog Lake to Skeels Meadow, then up to Mt. Sizer,
> down
> to Los Cruzeros, and back via the Narrows. Bird
> activity ranged from completely dead to very
> exciting;
> the best spot was at Los Cruzeros where we camped
> the
> second night. A CANYON WREN was working the large
> boulder immediately opposite our campsite. We
> wandered
> upstream a bit to find a lot of activity near the
> water, including bathing LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES.
> There
> were at least 4 or 5 of them in a nearby tree. Also
> seen there were BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, WESTERN
> KINGBIRDS,
> and numerous CALIFORNIA QUAIL.
> Perhaps the best bird of the trip was one for which
> I
> can not confirm the ID. Near the top of Mt. Sizer we
> got a brief glimpse of a grayish empid on a snag. I
> did not get a chance to register the bill color but
> there was only a faint eyering if any. It flew off
> and
> we didn't see it again but could hear it giving a
> short 2 or 3 syllable scolding call. In listening to
> all the empid calls last night it most closely
> resembled WILLOW FLYCATCHER -- but would that be the
> right habitat?
> Complete list of sightings is below.
> David Armstrong
>
> Turkey Vulture
> California Quail
> Mourning Dove
> Anna's Hummingbird
> Nuttall's Woodpecker
> Northern Flicker
> Acorn Woodpecker
> Black Phoebe
> Ash-throated Flycatcher
> Western Kingbird
> Brewer's Blackbird
> Hutton's Vireo
> Steller's Jay
> Western Scrub Jay
> Violet-green Swallow
> Chestnut-backed Chickadee
> Bushtit
> Canyon Wren
> House Wren
> Western Bluebird
> American Robin
> Wrentit
> California Thrasher
> Willow Flycatcher
> Black-headed Grosbeak
> Spotted Towhee
> California Towhee
> Lark Sparrow
> Common Raven
> Northern rough-winged Swallow
> Dark-eyed Junco
> Band-tailed Pigeon
> Western Meadowlark
> White-breasted Nuthatch
> Bullock's Oriole
> Purple Finch
> Bewick's Wren
> Lawrence's Goldfinch
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
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> Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo!
> Messenger.
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>
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 09:13:56 2000
Subject: [SBB] Los Gatos Creek Park
--------
Hi,
I birded Los Gatos Creek Park this morning before work. Almost as soon as I
went past the gate on Dell Ave (near pond #2, not the main entrance), I saw
a Great Blue Heron hunting and tons of Cliff Swallows apparently collecting
mud. Over the bridge in the Oka Ponds area were a Green Heron, Caspian Tern
and several Vaux's Swifts. On the way back, I saw more Vaux's Swifts by
pond #2.
Don Ganton
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 09:44:21 2000
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
This morning, 7/6/2000, there were 500-700 AM. WHITE PELICANS in flight
from the Palo Alto FCB to Salt Pond A2W. Eight BROWN PELICANS were in
Charleston Slough. An ad. PEREGRINE FALCON was consuming feathered prey on a
tower on the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh; the unidentified prey appeared
smaller than the many Long-billed Curlews and Willets present at the marsh.
LEAST SANDPIPERS in Adobe Creek and the Mountain View Forebay were the first
returning adults I've seen this season.
Bill
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 11:08:05 2000
Subject: [SBB] Possible Virginia Rail sighting
--------
[Apologies for duplicates from my cross-posting to two lists.]
I got a report of a possible Virginia Rail sighting at Alpine Pond which
is at the corner of Skyline Blvd. and Alpine Rd. in the Skyline Ridge
Open Space Preserve. The sighting was at about 5:00p on Sunday, 6/25.
Two individuals were seen in the cattails opposite the Daniels Nature
Center. They were seen at the end of a short path that goes into the
cattails to the pond edge from the pond perimeter trail.
The description was "a wading bird, with a 3" bill, blue/gray on the
face, and red on the underside of the bill."
In light of the bird(s) that had been detected at the nearby sag pond
at Monte Bello OSP, this sounds like it's a viable sighting. Put this
on your list of birds to look for the next time you're in the area
looking for the Indigo Bunting or hiking at Russian Ridge or Skyline
Ridge.
Les Chibana
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 14:05:11 2000
Subject: [SBB] Tequisquita Slough & San Felipe Lake
--------
SBB,
I'm passing along some observations made by Bryan Mori at the north edge of
San Benito Co.
Yesterday (7/5) there were 30 AM. WHITE PELICANS at San Filipe Lake.
Today (7/6) Tequisquita Slough between the lake and Lake Road had 3
BLACK-NECKED STILTS with dependant young, agitated AMERICAN AVOCETS (possibly
nesting), and an adult COMMON MOORHEN with downy young.
Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore Road.
They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm not
sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in that
region, no?
David Suddjian, Capitola, for Bryan Mori
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 15:46:07 2000
Subject: [SBB] Mori's Owls
--------
Folks:
Today, David Suddian wrote:
>Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore Road.
>They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm not
>sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in that
>region, no?
During the atlas (1987-1993) we probably didn't cover this area as well
as we should have, although I did a good bit of roadside coverage of Lake and
Shore roads. We had no owls in the Bolsa de San Felipe at all in this period.
Subsequently, Steve Rottenborn found owls nesting south of Hwy 25, probably a
few km south of this area.
I anyone has specific records of owls in this area from previous years I
would appreciate hearing about them.
Bill
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 15:48:29 2000
Subject: [SBB] Vaux's Swifts, etc.
--------
I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody Rd.
near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00,
along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody Rd.
Yesterday, 7/5/00, I took a noonish walk along Salt Pond A1 in the
Shoreline Park area. There appeared to be a BLACK SKIMMER roosting/
incubating on "Tern Island" (a no-bino view, however). Today at noon,
I saw one skimmer on the enlarged island at the base of Charleston
Slough.
The slough water level seems to be about 18" lower than what it has been
recently. Is this from the supposed tidal action at the bayside outflow,
or is it possible that evaporation can lower the level by that amount?
I haven't been out there very much lately, so I don't have any recent
perspective. Adobe Creek also looked low, I can understand that this
may be due to evaporation with no rainfall runoff input. The long pond
between the Mtn. View Forebay and Adobe Creek near the pumphouse is about
completely dry, too.
Also, regarding my note about the Virginia Rails (VIRA) at Alpine Pond
at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve: the Open Space District database
showed that VIRA have been reported there before.
Les Chibana
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 17:14:12 2000
Subject: [SBB] Fremont Older Open Space Preserve Birds
--------
All,
A pass through FOOSP at 1500 turned up a single White-throated Swift above
the parking area; at least seven Band-tailed Pigeon and two California
Thrasher along the Seven Springs Trail; a family group of five Bewick's
Wren; and three juvenile Pacific-slope Flycatchers on an open perch above
the parking area being fed by an adult.
Also, three Black-tailed Deer were seen.
Good birding,
Michael Wienholt
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 20:47:10 2000
Subject: [SBB] non Anna's Hummingbird
--------
Tonight, at dusk, I saw a new (to my yard) hummingbird species. I am very
familiar with the Anna's Hummingbirds that visit my feeder, but the bird I
saw tonight had a bright, burnt orange base to its back and tail. I also
saw this color along the bird's side. The bird was feeding on butterfly
bush and Mexican sage in a part of my yard which can gently be called a
tangle. I've been keeping an eye on birds for years and this is definitely
the first time I had seen this species in my yard.
I live in suburban Sunnyvale near Ponderosa Park. In checking the field
guide, it looks like the best candidates are Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird.
Is one much more likely than the other at this time of year and in this part
of the valley? I'm sorry my description is not more complete. I only saw
the bird in flight from the side and rear.
Rosalie Strait
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 21:17:47 2000
Subject: [SBB] Charleston Slough
--------
Sorry this is delayed, but I wanted to check a second field guide,
and I didn't have the chance before tonight....
July 4, Laurie and I wandered down to Charleston Slough, between
about 11AM and 12:30. The place was rocking with birds.
Here's the one I've been trying to figure out. Please take this ID
with a huge grain of salt... Out around the island you normally find
the skimmers on there was one bird I'd never seen before. It was
tough (even with a scope) to get a good id on it, because it spent
most of its time underwater. The bird was clearly a grebe of some
sort. Based on a couple of guides I checked, it seems to be a
pied-billed Grebe, and it seemed to be a late juvie (plumage closer
to the winter plumage, with the summer black band on the beak very
weak).
I've definitely never seen this species there before (and given my
track record, I'd love to know what it REALLY is... *grin*)
Other species includes a couple of flights of white pelicans (I
counted about 25 total), snowy egret, great blue heron, a couple of
ruddy ducks, a few gadwalls (according to Laurie), and about 15
younger cinnamon teals (looks like the breeding went very well), 9
candian geese (three youngsters in the group), stilts, lots of
avocets and a couple of long-billed curlews. There was a lot of
activity around the skimmer island, with a number of birds (including
about five white pelicans) actively feeding in the mud just offshore;
whatever it was, it was good...
We also saw four huge carp out in the slough; the tide was just
turning, and they were feeding in the mud...
--
Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:email@hidden)
Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:email@hidden)
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'"
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 06 21:25:52 2000
Subject: [SBB] Fledging Cooper's Hawks, tanager, GOEA
--------
All,
At Hidden Villa in Los Altos yesterday (7/5/2000), a pair of Cooper's Hawks
was closely attending their nest in Bay Laurel trees along the entrance road.
Two fully developed young were evident in the nest, while a third sat on a
branch level with the nest in an adjacent tree.
One male Western Tanager in breeding plumage is still in evidence at HV,
calling frequently while foraging for mulberries in the ornamental
landscaping near the horse stables.
A Golden Eagle was soaring above Sand Hill Rd. just west of 280 this morning
at 9:20.
--Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 08:29:13 2000
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
Rosalie Strait wrote:
>Tonight, at dusk, I saw a new (to my yard) hummingbird species. I am very
>familiar with the Anna's Hummingbirds that visit my feeder, but the bird I
>saw tonight had a bright, burnt orange base to its back and tail.
This is likely either Rufous or Allen's, as suggested. Allen's nests here in
the foothills and, while the majority of male Rufous are moving south along the
Sierras and the Rocky Mountains, they are still found here as well. This is
fall migration time for both birds.
Concerning Pied-billed Grebes along the bay edge, they are fairly common
at this time of year. Wintering birds will augment these numbers in a few
months.
Bill
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 10:03:29 2000
Subject: [SBB] Re: Vaux's Swifts, etc.
--------
With great embarrassment, I realized that my single Vaux's Swift sighting
on 7/5/00 was actually in an entirely different location, not along Moody
Rd. The bird was seen along Hwy 9/Big Basin Way on the Boulder Creek side
of Saratoga just beyond the small hydroelectric(?) plant on Saratoga Creek.
I recall thinking that this was not that far from the area that they have
been known to nest (Los Gatos). The other two swifts seen on 7/6/00 were
along Page Mill Rd.
Apologies for the brain short circuit...
Les
On Thursday, July 6, 2000, Les Chibana wrote:
>I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody Rd.
>near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00,
>along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody
>Rd.
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 10:08:30 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Re: Vaux's Swifts, etc.
--------
Is it unusual to see Vaux's Swifts around here? I'm sure that's what I saw
at Los Gatos Creek the other day, but I sure wouldn't mind having a
confirmation by someone else.
Don Ganton
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 07/07/2000 at 10:03 AM Les Chibana wrote:
>With great embarrassment, I realized that my single Vaux's Swift sighting
>on 7/5/00 was actually in an entirely different location, not along Moody
>Rd. The bird was seen along Hwy 9/Big Basin Way on the Boulder Creek side
>of Saratoga just beyond the small hydroelectric(?) plant on Saratoga
Creek.
>I recall thinking that this was not that far from the area that they have
>been known to nest (Los Gatos). The other two swifts seen on 7/6/00 were
>along Page Mill Rd.
>
>Apologies for the brain short circuit...
>
>Les
>
>On Thursday, July 6, 2000, Les Chibana wrote:
>>I saw one VAUX'S SWIFT yesterday, 7/5/00, on my drive home along Moody
Rd.
>>near Hidden Villa. I saw two swifts (prob. Vaux's) this morning, 7/6/00,
>>along Page Mill Rd. about .5 mile above the junction with Moody
>>Rd.
>
>
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 10:17:01 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Possible Virginia Rail sighting
--------
In regards to...
At 11:08 AM 7/6/00 -0700, Les Chibana wrote:
>I got a report of a possible Virginia Rail sighting at Alpine Pond which
>is at the corner of Skyline Blvd. and Alpine Rd. in the Skyline Ridge
>Open Space Preserve...
>
>.. sounds like it's a viable sighting.
Interesting to see this species as a up-slope, elevation-al breeder. I
remember seeing Virginia Rails in the Monte Bello sag ponds on a walk led
by Ted Chandik some fifteen years ago on a Spring day; wouldn't be
surprised that they have been around that area for many, many years
prior. Plus, I have seen Virginia Rails at approx. 4800 feet in Hodgdon
Meadow, Yosemite NP, as summer residents since regularly visiting the area
- starting those visits in 1995.
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 11:19:07 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] -
--------
In a message dated 7/7/00 10:59:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
email@hidden writes:
<< All nests found to date have been in chimneys, which is considered an
unusal choice for this species. We are at the extreme southern end of this
species range. Interestingly, further north their preferred nest site is
used Pileated Woodpecker holes. Maybe with the invasion of the central coast
by Pileateds we may start to find some Vaux's nesting in natural nest sites.
>>
Elsewhere in the Santa Cruz Mountains region (San Mateo and Santa Cruz
Counties) Vaux's do nest in hollows of large broken-topped or fire-hollowed
trees and in Pileated Woodpecker holes, as well as in chimneys. Forest
nesting swifts are mosty limited to areas of old growth forest or
second-growth forests retaining some old growth trees. Chimney nesters occur
in forested areas and away from forests in suburbs. I'm not sure about the
Los Gatos / Saratoga area, but over in Santa Cruz County chimney availability
is greatly limited by the use of spark arrestors on the tops of chimneys.
The southernmost confirmed breeding location in the Santa Cruz Mountains
region is at Aptos, SCZ (in a chimney). The Monterey Breeding Bird Atlas
project found evidence of "probable" breeding further south on the Big Sur
coast in 1992, but as far as I know nesting has not been confirmed there yet.
David Suddjian, Capitola
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 11:57:22 2000
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
VAUX'S SWIFTS nest in small numbers in the Los Gatos-Saratoga area and
have done so since at least the 1940s. Birds have occasionally nested along
the foothills as far north as Los Altos Hills. All nests found to date have
been in chimneys, which is considered an unusal choice for this species. We
are at the extreme southern end of this species range. Interestingly, further
north their preferred nest site is used Pileated Woodpecker holes. Maybe
with the invasion of the central coast by Pileateds we may start to find some
Vaux's nesting in natural nest sites. Of course, finding an actual nest site
is tough.
Bill
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 13:05:32 2000
Subject: [SBB] Some county birds
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to CCFS (Coyote Creek Field Station)
where we had 800 to 1000 Wilson's Phalaropes in three ponds located
immediately west of the "Waterbird Pond". A Peregrine Falcon was in the area
between these ponds and the Newby Island Dump. We then went to the EEC
(Environmental Education Center) where we saw two Black Skimmers on the first
small island in Salt Pond A18 near the center. Also several Least
Sandpipers. We also had at least five Burrowing Owls on Arzino Ranch (plus
one on Disc Drive).
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:11 PM, 7/7/00
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 13:46:55 2000
Subject: [SBB] Don Edwards/Baylands Birds
--------
All,
A tour of Don Edwards this morning beginning at 0830 turned up a Selasphorus
hummingbird that was likely an Allen's but this bird had an almost blue-ish
back in the overcast light. Forster's Tern and Black-necked Stilt were
particularly raucous and aggressive in defense of nearby chicks. Good
numbers of Least Sandpiper were also present. A Pied-billed Grebe was in the
channel.
On to Baylands, with a male/female pair of Surf Scoter on Shoreline Lake.
The "tern island" was covered with Avocets - no Black Skimmer here.
Good birding,
Michael Wienholt
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 07 17:45:21 2000
Subject: [SBB] Vaux's Swifts (again)
--------
Howdy South-bay-birders,
This morning I again saw Vaux's Swifts along Coleman near Meridian Avenue in
San Jose--they seem to be easy to see there at 7-8am, possibly at other
hours but that's usually when I drive that way. I assume these are locally
breeding birds, with chimneys the likely choice of nest sites, although
there are some big sycamores along the road there--have they ever been known
to nest in large deciduous trees, I wonder--
John Mariani
email@hidden
http://www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 08 09:14:52 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Mori's Owls
--------
Bill Bousman wrote:
> Folks:
>
> Today, David Suddian wrote:
>
> >Up to 8 juvenile BURROWING OWLS were seen along Lake Road near Shore
Road.
> >They came out of two different burrows 40' apart in annual grassland. I'm
not
> >sure, but there do not seem to be too many BUOW left still breeding in
that
> >region, no?
>
> During the atlas (1987-1993) we probably didn't cover this area as
well
> as we should have, although I did a good bit of roadside coverage of Lake
and
> Shore roads. We had no owls in the Bolsa de San Felipe at all in this
period.
> Subsequently, Steve Rottenborn found owls nesting south of Hwy 25,
probably a
> few km south of this area.
In April 1997, I had two occupied Burrowing Owl burrows at Rancho San
Benito, bounded by Highway 25 and the Pajaro River just outside Santa
Clara County. I didn't monitor these locations long enough to confirm
that the birds were nesting, but I suspect that they were. Fall surveys
conducted previously by LSA (October 1991, I think) had found a number
of BUOW in several locations around the ranch, many along railroad tracks
where burrows had been filled prior to my 1997 surveys.
During those surveys, I stopped by the intersection of Lake and Shore Roads
several times and always saw a pair of Burrowing Owls there. Debi
Shearwater and Al DeMartini had told me that this was the only location
they knew of in northern San Benito County where Burrowing Owls could
still be seen regularly. It's good to know that there are still birds
there.
Sorry that I haven't had much to report from Santa Clara County lately....
Cheers,
Steve Rottenborn
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 08 15:19:02 2000
Subject: [SBB] More on Vaux's Swift
--------
I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the
Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out.
Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift?
Yesterday there was a Whimbrel in with the curlews at Stevens Creek Tidal
Marsh.
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From email@hidden Sun Jul 09 07:10:41 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
The pair of BLACK SKIMMERS that have been hanging out on the tern island in front of the EEC are nesting there. The female was sitting on eggs when I was there on Sunday, 9 Jul 00, with the male loafing nearby.
Another pair of SKIMMERS was on the island in Charleston Slough on Saturday, 8 Jul, and was also seen by Bob Reiling and his field trip group.
Along the entrance road to the EEC on Sunday was an adult PEREGRINE FALCON, which looked to be fairly dark. However, I think this bird may just be a variation of the Anatum race.
At the CCFS waterbird pond on Sunday were a few hundred WILSON'S PHALAROPES, only one of which was a juvenile. The adults were quite varied in their plumage, with some being nearly in basic already and others still in alternate. Numbers of WESTERN SANDPIPERS looked to be all adults (as expected).
Mike Mammoser
--------
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1.5 KBytes
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From email@hidden Sun Jul 09 23:33:16 2000
Subject: [SBB] Big Day
--------
All,
Over the weekend Jesse Conklin and I had a Cross-County Big Day which
began in Alum Rock where we had both HOODED and BULLOCK'S ORIOLES,
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. We continued to Joseph D. Grant County Park
where we encountered 4-6 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a pair of LAWRENCE'S
GOLDFINCH. Continuing to Charleston Slough we found a pair of BLACK
SKIMMERS and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE. From there we went to the coast (Ano
Nuevo) where we found three BLACK SWIFT and numerous BANK SWALLOWS.
Pigeon Point produced a pair of MARBLED MURRELETTS and many PIGEON
GUILLEMOTS, HEERMAN'S GULLS, CASPIAN TERNS and COMMON MURRE. We ended up
at Princeton Harbor where we found a flock of aprox 150 ELEGANT TERNS.
Matthew Dodder
http://www.birdguy.net/
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 00:29:38 2000
Subject: [SBB] Re: Summer loons
--------
El Granada just south of Princeton Harbor had 4 Adult loons. From their
size and profile they were certainly Common Loons, but they were in a
strange plumage between winter and summer -- white neck up to the throat
but black backs for 2 of them. As a native Minnesotan I'm certainly
familiar with loons, but this was a funny plumage for summer.
--
Richard C. Carlson Full-time Birder, Biker, Skier, Hiker
Palo Alto, California Part-time Economist
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 02:13:54 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
I don't know how many of you were watching the Oakland A's play baseball on Saturday night, but they had a bird on the playing field that night. A close up of this bird showed it to be a CLAPPER RAIL. I know that these birds are prone to dispersal, especially in the fall (they have even been found on street corners in San Francisco), but this seems like an early date. Still, I suppose that it was just a dispersant juvenile.
On another note, I heard from Vickie Sivas-Young that she had a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW singing at CCFS last Wednesday.
Mike Mammoser
--------
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1.0 KBytes
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 10:37:48 2000
Subject: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift
--------
Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes
with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common
names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In
this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car
brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes".
Les Chibana
On Saturday, July 8, 2000, Andy Gibb wrote:
>I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the
>Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out.
>Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift?
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 10:44:21 2000
Subject: [SBB] weekend birds
--------
ALL;
Just did bits and pieces checking out shorebird locations this weekend. None
of the Alviso spots (N. or Marina or State/Spreckles) had anything. While
checking out a tern feeding frenzy N. of the Marina, I saw a Little Blue Heron
fly by. Also a Brown Pelican dropped by.
They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of 237.
This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road. I
saw 19 Greater and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs here, plus 4 (S-B?) Dowitchers. At
CCRS, the pond just south of the trailers still had lots of birds with
hundreds of W. Sandpipers. Also 2 Semi-palmated Plovers, 2 Lesser and 5
Greater Yellowlegs, 20 Wilson's Phalaropes, and 14 dowitchers. The shorebird
pond had about 30 dowithchers.
Checked out the pond by the VTA depot but these were almost dry. Lots of Gray
Hairstreaks here.
Nick Lethaby
Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc.
Tel: 408 360 2131
e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 10:55:24 2000
Subject: RE: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift
--------
Les, and South-Bay-Birders:
I had always thought the name was originally of French derivative but since
the family had Americanized the pronunciation we would pronounce it fully.
So, we were to follow the Americanized pronunciation rather than the French
"VO" which is like the German word, wo, which means "where". X is not
possible in German, and if this name were of Germanic derivative, then the
spelling could have been originally "Vauchs" with the "au" pronounced like
"ou" in "ouch, that hurts".
Also, somewhere my name had lost its origin as "gh" is not possible in
German, and was likely originally Feichtner. So, now all of you know why my
family has pronounced the name with a "t" and with the "ei" as in Eisenhower
(alias Eisenhauer).
Now back to discussion of birds in Santa Clara County.
Mike Feighner (alias Feichtner), Livermore, CA.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Les Chibana [SMTP:email@hidden]
> Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 10:38 AM
> To: South, Bay Birds Mailing
> Subject: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift
>
> Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes
> with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common
> names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In
> this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car
> brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes".
>
> Les Chibana
>
> On Saturday, July 8, 2000, Andy Gibb wrote:
> >I saw one this morning flying over Alpine Pond, where I dipped on the
> >Virginia Rail. It seems difficult to imagine where that could hang out.
> >Incidentally how do you pronounce Vaux's Swift?
>
>
>
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> email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 14:17:55 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift
--------
In a message dated 7/10/00 10:38:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, email@hidden
writes:
<< Discussions in various birding forums have said that "Vaux's" rhymes
with "foxes". Apparently, the rule with proper names within common
names is that they are pronounced as the family pronounced them. In
this case, the family name was Germanic(?) as in Vauxhall, the car
brand, and not French, which would probably end up rhyming with "foes". >>
Sorry to draw this out, but....
John K. Terres "Audubon Society Encyclopeida of North American Birds" gives
the pronunciation of Vaux as "Vawks", to rhyme with "hawks". K. Radamaker &
M. Patten's 1990 article on pronunciation of bird names (in Birding 22:74-78)
renders the pronunciation of the bird name it as "VAWKS-iz". I'm sure there
are some other definitive sources on the people birds are named after.
William S. Vaux (1811-82) lived in Philadelphia. I don't know if the name is
Germanic or not, but Vol. 5 of the Handbook of the Birds of the World says
the species' name in German is "Graubauchsegler"! In French it is Martinet de
Vaux (p. 444)
P.s., I happened to get a lead on a nest site in a fat, fire hollowed redwood
snag in Big Basin just this morning. I should have asked the birds how to say
their name ;->
David Suddjian, Capitola
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 14:30:02 2000
Subject: [SBB] RFI: Oregon NGS Map Yellow Rails
--------
Hi All,
My apologies for the multiple entries.
Does anyone know what location the small orange spot in southern Oregon on
page 146 (Yellow Rail) of the Third Edition NGS represents? Know anybody
familiar with them in that area with respect to directions, time-of-day,
whether they would be calling the 2nd weekend in August? Or still there?
I have a vague memory of a lodge on a lake that advertised them as a feature.
Does anybody recall anything about that?
Thanks for your help and
Good Birding,
Bob Lutman
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 14:43:09 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields
--------
At 10:44 AM -0700 7/10/00, email@hidden wrote:
>
>They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of 237.
>This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road.
-------------------------------------------------------
Any idea why they are flooding these fields?
Ruth Troetschler
184 Lockhart Lane
Los Altos, CA 94022
Ruth Troetschler
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 14:58:31 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields
--------
At 2:43 PM -0700 7/10/00, Ruth Troetschler wrote:
>Any idea why they are flooding these fields?
I think they were bored.
--
Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:email@hidden)
Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:email@hidden)
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'"
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 16:25:53 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields
--------
The San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant (sewage treatment) is under a
flow cap during the summer, which means they get penalized for releasing too
much fresh water into the south bay. They are trying to get rid of some of
their fresh water effluent through evaporation. The fencing is because of
all the illegal dumping that was occurring on their property.
Hope that helps,
Janet Tashjian Hanson
Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
Alviso, CA 95002
email@hidden
408/946-6548
-----Original Message-----
From: Ruth Troetschler
To: email@hidden
Cc: email@hidden
Date: Monday, July 10, 2000 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: [SBB] weekend birds; Flooding fields
>At 10:44 AM -0700 7/10/00, email@hidden wrote:
>>
>>They have started flooding the fields either side of Zanker, just N. of
237.
>>This area is now fenced off and posted so you can only look from the road.
>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>Any idea why they are flooding these fields?
>
>
>Ruth Troetschler
>184 Lockhart Lane
>Los Altos, CA 94022
>
>Ruth Troetschler
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 16:28:28 2000
Subject: [SBB] [Fwd: [NBB] CLRA in Oakland]
--------
South-Bay-Birders, East-Bay-Birders:
Here is another post matching the one that went out earlier today, but
coming from Dan Nelson of Petaluma over the all new North Bay Birds
listserve.
--
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, email@hidden
--------
Message
--------
Subject: [NBB] CLRA in Oakland
--------
Hi Birders,
While "channel surfing" Saturday night, I tuned into the A's-
Diamondbacks game at Oakland Coliseum. The A's had rallied from
behind to tie, and the game went into extra innings. Then the
camera crew showed some incredible views of an avian spectator
"watching" the game from the mowed field level- a Clapper Rail!! It
was about 9:45PM. Perhaps the clapping and applause had attracted it.
(ha-ha). While I've heard stories occasionally of rails stranding
themselves in parking lots and such, this one was quite humerous.
The remodeled coliseum has a high rim encircling it, so it had to
fly pretty high (for a rail sp.) to make it in. Perhaps the bright
light confused it too. Regardless, I thought I would pass this one
along for the "bird funnies".
P.S.-There were something over 54,000 fans there, and the A's
eventually won.-
Dan Nelson
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 10 17:19:59 2000
Subject: RE: [SBB] Re: More on Vaux's Swift
--------
As Dr. Charlie Collins, my grad advisor, once told me after I mis-pronounced
it, "Mr. Vaux was a Texan." Its Vaux's as in "foxes". We detected them in
several locations during last month's percolation pond surveys. I will try
to send something more detailed out in the coming days.
Tom
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From email@hidden Tue Jul 11 15:39:19 2000
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso
--------
All,
This afternoon (about 12:45 PM and 1:20 PM), Frank Vanslager and I saw two
adult Little Blue Herons while walking the dike on the north side of the
Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. One LBHE was on the intersecting dike between Salt
Pond A12 and A11 (the closest dike to the Alviso Marina Parking lot), the
other was on the dike between Salt Pond A11 and A10 (the next dike from the
parking lot). Both birds were about 150 - 200 yds from the slough dike.
Although both dikes on which the birds were seen have restricted access
(posted) they could be easily found with binoculars (scope views are always
best). From Hwy. 237 take the Gold St. exit north into downtown Alviso, jog
to the left on 1st St. and continue north into the Alviso Marina Parking
area. From the right hand (east) side of the parking lot follow the trail
north and immediately left (west) along the southern edge of Salt Pond A12 to
the first intersecting dike (one LBHE was seen here). The next dike is but a
short distance further on (northwest). It is possible, with a good scope, to
see an LBHE on this dike from the first dike.
Good luck and take care,
Bob Reiling, 3:44 PM, 7/11/00
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From email@hidden Tue Jul 11 16:00:14 2000
Subject: [SBB] Re: Little Blue Herons in Alviso
--------
In a message dated 7/11/00 3:39:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, RREILING2 writes:
<< north side of the Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. >>
All,
This should read Alviso Slough. Just one of those senior moments.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 4:06 PM, 7/11/00
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 08:00:24 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso
--------
On looking at my National Geographic to check the description of LBHE I
realise that I saw a juvenile at Sunnyvale Baylands on Monday. I just
couldn't reconcile the grey bill colour with any phase of Snowy Egret at the
time, so I just assumed it was aberrant.
To get to the bird (probably long gone by now!) drive to the parking lot at
the eastern end, right by 237. Walk further on to the bridge over Calabazas
Creek, before which you turn left. Walk to the end, passing one building,
the reeds where the Night Herons usually are and one lagoon. Hang a left and
the bird was in the channel running to the right of that path about half-way
along the lagoon.
Sorry this is a bit late. I was slow on the up-take.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 3:39 PM
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Herons in Alviso
> All,
>
> This afternoon (about 12:45 PM and 1:20 PM), Frank Vanslager and I saw two
> adult Little Blue Herons while walking the dike on the north side of the
> Guadalupe/Alviso Slough. One LBHE was on the intersecting dike between
Salt
> Pond A12 and A11 (the closest dike to the Alviso Marina Parking lot), the
> other was on the dike between Salt Pond A11 and A10 (the next dike from
the
> parking lot). Both birds were about 150 - 200 yds from the slough dike.
> Although both dikes on which the birds were seen have restricted access
> (posted) they could be easily found with binoculars (scope views are
always
> best). From Hwy. 237 take the Gold St. exit north into downtown Alviso,
jog
> to the left on 1st St. and continue north into the Alviso Marina Parking
> area. From the right hand (east) side of the parking lot follow the trail
> north and immediately left (west) along the southern edge of Salt Pond A12
to
> the first intersecting dike (one LBHE was seen here). The next dike is
but a
> short distance further on (northwest). It is possible, with a good scope,
to
> see an LBHE on this dike from the first dike.
>
> Good luck and take care,
> Bob Reiling, 3:44 PM, 7/11/00
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 09:28:28 2000
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID
--------
Folks:
Andy Gibb's post on a possible immature LITTLE BLUE HERON suggests that
it may be time again to discuss some of the ID problems with this age class.
There are two ID problems here, one general, and one specific to this area.
In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters
that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect to
find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a
shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not
yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be gray.
If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably have
an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below.
Since LITTLE BLUE HERONS first started nesting locally in 1980, they
have occasionally hybridized with SNOWY EGRETS. This results in many hybrid
characters for immatures which can be quite confusing. When these birds
become adults, they look something like a 1st-summer 'calico' LITTLE BLUE
HERON, but normally different. Unlike Little Blues, which leave in September,
at least some of these hybrids have been resident.
The normal ID of an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON requires considerable
care, considering how truly rare it is locally. But this is confused by the
hybrid problem. Hence, unlike the adults, which are readily identifiable,
immature records require a detailed description.
Bill
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 09:55:27 2000
Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle
--------
An immature Golden Eagle was roosting, then soaring near Sand Hill west of 280 this morning.
Janet Tashjian Hanson
Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
Alviso, CA 95002
email@hidden
408/946-6548
--------
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897 bytes
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 11:23:23 2000
Subject: [SBB] S.C. Bird List as of June 30
--------
Bill Bousman has updated the list:
"June brought two new birds, both "6's". An Ovenbird was in
Milpitas on 6/12/2000, found by Jim Danzenbaker, and a Great-tailed
Grackle pair showed up on 6/22/2000 (Tom Ryan). This brings the year
to 254.
The full list can be seen on:
South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU)
http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/
Kendric
-----------------------------------------
Kendric C. Smith, Ph.D.
927 Mears Court
Stanford, CA 94305-1041
(650) 493-7210 (voice or fax)
email@hidden
http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/
------------------------------------------
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 13:22:45 2000
Subject: [SBB] Re: Little Blue Heron ID
--------
Bill Bousman wrote:
> In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters
> that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect to
> find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a
> shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not
> yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be gray.
> If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably have
> an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below.
Just to confuse things a bit:
At the recent WFO meeting in Kernville, one of the slides shown for discussion
by the expert ID panel was of a young Little Blue Heron which did not show
any visible dark primary tips. Comments from the panel indicated considerable
variablity in how much dark was shown there. On that particular individual,
both the structure and color pattern (somewhat two-toned) of the bill were
solidly on the Little Blue side. Despite what I would have regarded as some
cautionary aspects, the panel seemed quite united on the ID. Perhaps Mike R.
remembers more of the discussion and can add to this.
Cheers, Al
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 13:26:00 2000
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron, etc.
--------
Hi,
This morning, my son Will and I went to Alviso to look for the Little Blue
Heron. It was a bit of a walk to the intersection of salt ponds A12 and
A11, but the bird was there right where it was supposed to be. I found it
with my binoculars, but a scope is essential to get any kind of a look.
Then we went to the EEC and the Peregrine Falcon was perched on the tower
on the road in. And, of course, the Black Skimmers were there on the
island. Everything was conveniently where it was supposed to be. We also
saw a fox below the little outlook area near the butterfly garden.
Don Ganton
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 13:43:51 2000
Subject: [SBB] Unusual Hawk Behavior
--------
Hawk Experts:
For the past about two weeks, a mature male Red-Tailed Hawk has been around
my house, calling almost constantly. He is usually perched when calling. I
live in the southern Los Gatos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just west
of Highway 17, surrounded by oak woodlands. It is not unusual to hear RTH
calling as the fly over. They rarely perch near my house. This spring, in
a canyon nearby, as the hawk flies, I had seen a pair in courting behavior,
and then heard them there and assumed they were nesting. But this male is
calling non-stop! (If I didn't like hawks, it would be annoying!). Can
anyone offer a "scientific explanation"? (My family has come up with
several spiritual, mystic explanations!)
Thanks.
Sylvia White
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 16:06:49 2000
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron Id
--------
All:
I don't regard the two tone bill as that a useful distinction from juv. Snowy
Egrets, which commonly show an grayish-green base to the bill, especially at
this time of year into September.
Nick Lethaby
Product Manager, ARC Cores Inc.
Tel: 408 360 2131
e-mail: Nick.Lethaby@arccores
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 16:33:27 2000
Subject: RE: [SBB] Golden Eagle
--------
I saw two Golden Eagles soaring over this same area this morning. The other
morning, maybe Sunday, I saw a female American Kestral diving repeatedly on
one of the eagles and she finally drove it away from the horse ranch.
Deborah Bartens
Naturalist-City of Palo Alto
-----Original Message-----
From: Janet T. Hanson [mailto:email@hidden]
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 10:00 AM
To: South Bay Birders
Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle
An immature Golden Eagle was roosting, then soaring near Sand Hill west of
280 this morning.
Janet Tashjian Hanson
Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
Alviso, CA 95002
email@hidden
408/946-6548
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 22:09:07 2000
Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle
--------
Speaking of Golden Eagles, saw one soaring over Jasper Ridge on July 3rd that
was being harassed by two smaller birds that turned out, to my surprise, to
be kites. The eagle appeared unimpressed. Bob Buell
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 12 22:21:17 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID
--------
Thank you to everyone for their input to the Heron vs Egret debate. I should
add to my description that the whole bird looked quite different; otherwise
I would not have given it a second glance. Perhaps someone would like to
comment on the difference in jizz between the two species? To my mind the
bird that I saw was very hunched up in a way that I had not seen in a Snowy
Egret. Again that was what drew my attention to it in the first place. I
didn't know of the possibility of a hybrid, so I guess that really makes
things difficult.
And now another possibly unusual bird, this time at the pond to the north of
the radar between Moffett and Sunnyvale Baylands. At first I thought it was
a Dunlin: it was certainly that size, shape and structure. However, this had
dark brown, somewhat mottled upperparts, clean pale underparts, a streaked
pale brown wash on the breast and a brownish crown. There was a suggestion
of an eye-stripe. The bill was about the length of the head and fairly
sturdy, just like a Dunlin again. The sun was directly overhead, so I could
only say that the legs may have been greenish. It was perched quite still on
a rock.
I have my own thoughts on what it was but my guide suggests that it is even
more unlikely than a Little Blue Heron, so I'm a bit leery of making a
pronouncement. Anyone any ideas?
Andy.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 9:28 AM
Subject: [SBB] Little Blue Heron ID
> Folks:
>
> Andy Gibb's post on a possible immature LITTLE BLUE HERON suggests
that
> it may be time again to discuss some of the ID problems with this age
class.
> There are two ID problems here, one general, and one specific to this
area.
>
> In general, an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON shows three characters
> that distinguish it from an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is what we expect
to
> find locally. First, the bill color should be a blue-gray, rather that a
> shiny or dull black. Second, the loral color should be blue-gray, not
> yellowish or a yellow gray. Third, the tips of the primary should be
gray.
> If you cannot see all three of these characters well, then you probably
have
> an immature SNOWY EGRET. But see below.
>
> Since LITTLE BLUE HERONS first started nesting locally in 1980, they
> have occasionally hybridized with SNOWY EGRETS. This results in many
hybrid
> characters for immatures which can be quite confusing. When these birds
> become adults, they look something like a 1st-summer 'calico' LITTLE BLUE
> HERON, but normally different. Unlike Little Blues, which leave in
September,
> at least some of these hybrids have been resident.
>
> The normal ID of an immature LITTLE BLUE HERON requires considerable
> care, considering how truly rare it is locally. But this is confused by
the
> hybrid problem. Hence, unlike the adults, which are readily identifiable,
> immature records require a detailed description.
>
> Bill
> -++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==--++**==
> This message was posted through the Stanford campus mailing list
> server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the
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email@hidden
>
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 14 14:17:00 2000
Subject: [SBB] County birding
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to CCFS where the Waterbird Pond
contained a nice flock of shorebirds. Unfortunately the water level is low
which made viewing difficult (don't know if it's good for the birds or not?).
We had 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Semipalmated Plovers, 200+ dowitchers, about
1000 Wilson's Phalaropes and twice that many peeps (mostly Western
Sandpipers). We had several possible Semipalmated Sandpipers but the viewing
distance and air quality did not allow for proper viewing of the mantle and
scapulars.
We then went to the Environmental Education Center where Frank noted that the
pair of Black Skimmers there now had at least one downy hatchling. When one
parent returned (with food?) it could be seen moving out from under the other
parents tail. A single breeding plumage Eared Grebe and two Bonaparte's
Gulls were also seen on the salt pond.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:23 PM, 7/14/00
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 14 16:42:57 2000
Subject: [SBB] Lesser Goldfinch diet
--------
Recently I have been enjoying watching a dozen or so LEGO eating the leafy
material of a large Sunflower Plant near my kitchen window. I was unaware
that they ate anything other than seeds. They sure have made a mess of the
leaves of the plant (a 'volunteer' allowed to grow in my landscape). At
first I thought it was caterpillars busy at work.
Karl
_______________________________________________________
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 14 19:15:57 2000
Subject: [SBB] eTerns & southering shorebirds
--------
Late Thursday, checked Fort Mason...no sign of Egrets...anybody know where they
are "nesting" there?
Late Friday, checked Heron's Head Park, nee Pier 98...it's filing up with
windblown trash and hand-dumped trash
no ducks, geese or shorebirds...one GREG, one Cas TERN, one WCSO lotsa WEGU and
D-C CORM
Now for the fun stuff, even later Friday, checked Ocean Beach between Pacheco
and Santiago:
>120 Elegant Terns including many juveniles,,,in with flocks of Heermann's &
Western Gu
1 Cas. Tern
2 Whimbrel
13 M. Godwit
>20 West. Sandpiper in breeding plumage
17 Sanderlings in breeding plumage, nary a gray feather to be seen
Might the Sanderlings and WESA be some of the ones bound south of Equator?
Godwits, however, do not go south of Panama. Whimbrels have been around all
summer.
Can we now declare the southern migration officially open?
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 15 05:27:36 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
On Saturday, 15 Jul 00, I found the BLACK SKIMMERS at the EEC tending young. The female was feeding two downy young, while the male sat next to them and continued to incubate the lone remaining egg. The FORSTER'S TERNS are doing well here, with many nearly-fledged young about and some adults still incubating eggs.
Also in this area were a couple hundred WILSON'S PHALAROPES, 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, a breeding-plumaged EARED GREBE, and 3 eclipe-plumaged male LESSER SCAUP. The scaup were in the New Chicago Marsh, and I don't doubt that there are probably some females nearby, lurking on nests in the vegetation. A juvenile SAVANNAH SPARROW was here as well, following around an adult.
Many of us are accustomed to judging scaup species by the shape of their heads. Particularly so if we have a lot of experience seeing both Greater and Lesser Scaup in numbers, which is quite easy in winter here. It is interesting, however, to look at Lesser Scaup in the middle of summer. They seem to have a much flatter head shape at this time of year, perhaps due to the vagaries of molt. Check out a scaup head now and then during the summer and see if you don't agree.
Mike Mammoser
--------
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 15 11:34:53 2000
Subject: [SBB] Missing tail feathers
--------
A friend just called to tell me of a fledgling Western Scrub-Jay with no
tail feathers, but with some down where the feathers should be. I have
often seen passerines missing tail feathers and always assumed the loss was
the result of a close encounter with a cat or other predator. Considering
this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to
escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail
feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow
in. Does anyone know?
--Peter
------------------------------------------------------
Peter LaTourrette
Bird Photography: http://www.birdphotography.com/
Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 15 14:01:04 2000
Subject: [SBB] LEYEs, GRYEs, BUOWs, and LETEs
--------
I made a quick visit this morning, Saturday, July 15, to Harvey Marsh, just
east of Sunnyvale Baylands Park over Calabezas Creek, entering from the
eastern edge via 3-Com's parking lot. There I found many Lesser and Greater
Yellowlegs feeding side by side -- making it an easier ID. There were also
many Least and Western Sandpipers and numerous Dowitchers, 2 Whimbrel, a
Long-billed Curlew and a Marbled Godwit. The southward migration seems to be
happening. There were both American and Lesser Goldfinches, an adult
Peregrine Falcon perched on a power pole, and a Caspian Tern sitting there
with a large fishing lure embedded in its head and bill. When a skunk came
out of the bushes, whirled around, and lifted its tail, I made a panicky
retreat.
At the Shoreline Park entrance parking lot just outside the heavy wooden
fence north of the E12 parking marker, there is a mound with a large family
of Burrowing Owls. Further along to the northeast, north of Crittenden Marsh
the Least Terns are to be found. Mostly it is a distant scope view to the
east to the birds perched on the north-running wooden walkway; the size
difference to the Forster's Terns is readily apparent (in my scope).
Occasionally a Least Tern will fly west, and one can tell it by its more
fluttery flight before it gets close enough to spot its white forehead.
Frank Vanslager
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 15 16:30:15 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Missing tail feathers
--------
At 11:34 AM -0700 7/15/00, Peter LaTourrette wrote:
> Considering
>this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to
>escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail
>feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow
>in. Does anyone know?
With kept birds (especially cockatiels), it's quite normal, because
when they're young, they're klutzy, and tend to break them off as
they're figuring out how the body operates. Once they fledge to
adults, they grow in normally again.
--
Chuq Von Rospach - Plaidworks Consulting (mailto:email@hidden)
Apple Mail List Gnome (mailto:email@hidden)
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
and say 'Man, what are you doing here?'"
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From email@hidden Sat Jul 15 21:35:51 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] LEYEs, GRYEs, BUOWs, and LETEs
--------
>...and a Caspian Tern sitting there
>with a large fishing lure embedded in its head and bill.
I saw that bird a week ago, it was struggling to keep it's head up. I
informed a ranger at Sunnyvale Baylands who said she'd call wildlife
rescue. I guess she didn't or they couldn't find it. I know things like
this happen and it's only one bird, but it made me sick. I hope that
someone reading this knows the appropriate agency to contact to try to help
it. It would be a shame for it to die a slow death.
Thanks,
Don Ganton
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From email@hidden Sun Jul 16 05:30:22 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
The pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at Almaden Lake Park are evidently feeding young in the nest, as of 16 Jul 00.
Shortly after I arrived, I found the male sitting in the top of the bulrushes on the small island. Soon, the female exited the bulrushes and began foraging around the edge of the lake, until I lost track of her. When she returned, some 15 minutes later, she was too quick for me to see anything before she rentered the vegetation.
For a period of time, nothing seemed to be happening, and I started walking back along the trail towards the Coleman Ave bridge. Suddenly, I saw the male grackle fly by and go under the bridge. He was followed within seconds by the female, who flew over the bridge. In a couple minutes, the male returned and was carrying some small pale object in his bill. He went to the island, entering the bulrushes at the point where the female always entered and exited. He appeared within 5 seconds, clamboring up to the top, with his bill empty. I waited for some minutes for the female to return past the bridge, but never saw her.
After a while, I spotted both birds in the bulrushes at the end of the large island. They flew from here to the other end of the island, where they engaged in a display of wing flicking at each other. This wing flicking was what you might normally see a young bird do that is begging for food. I wondered whether this was some communication of the need to feed young. Up until this point, the male had been relatively inactive (other than the one trip I saw him make), but from this point both birds began foraging and carrying objects to the island in earnest.
I couldn't identify the objects these birds carried, but am quite sure it was food. The objects were small and undoubtedly not nesting material. Also, the fact that they were entering the bulrushes at the same specific point, and exiting within seconds with empty bills, suggests the delivery of food to young in a nest.
Other breeding observations here:
An adult GREEN HERON feeding an unfledged youngster in the reeds of the large island. A GREAT EGRET feeding another that was equal to it in size is indicative of young almost ready to leave the nesting area. A SNOWY EGRET was carrying nesting material into the reeds of the large island. Stripe-headed young PIED-BILLED GREBES following an adult and giving their incessant begging calls.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Sun Jul 16 10:32:27 2000
Subject: [SBB] Web Site Updated
--------
South Bay Birders,
I have updated the south-bay mailing list archive with the June
messages at:
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/southbay.htm
Gjon Hazard, Maya Decker and Martin Myers have contributed new
photographs of the Black-backed Oriole in San Diego, Blue-headed Vireo
in Orange County and Bermuda Petrel off North Carolina. They may be
found under "California Birding" on the "Recent Rarities" page.
Maya Decker also contributed photos of the adult male Smew in Tracy
last winter in the "Photo Gallery."
The "Mystery Photos" section has been updated with answers to last
month's sparrow and vireo and debate has already begun on this month's
tern and oriole.
The site is at:
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Follow the link to California Birding. Comments and feedback are
always welcome. Enjoy!
--
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044: mailto:email@hidden
Fall Birding Classes begin Sept 5: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
California Bird Records Committee: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 02:13:52 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
Leda Beth Gray writes:
> It seems that when both parents arrive at the box with food
> for the chicks and one bird does this wing flicking that looks
> like the same behavior that young fledglings do when begging
> for food, the other bird immediately flies into the box. It seems
> that the wing flicking means, "you go first".
This may be what was being communicated in the Chickadee situation, but what I observed was somewhat different. At the time I saw the grackles performing this display, they were about 50 yards from the nest site and neither one had any food. Up until this point, I saw the male make one feeding trip to the nest, but he generally was just sitting in the bulrushes above the nest, perhaps a nest-guarding behavior, which is important when the female is incubating.
When I saw this display, the thought struck me that the female might have been communicating the need for the male to adjust his behavior into a nest-feeding mode. The male also was wing-flicking back at the female, perhaps an affirmation of understanding the message.
It is interesting to speculate on what messages are being communicated by birds when they perform various displays, but such a casual observation as mine is just that; a speculation. The two birds may have simply been affirming their pair bond before setting off on an arduous task.
Mike Mammoser
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2.4 KBytes
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 02:13:52 2000
Subject: [SBB] :
--------
Leda Beth Gray writes:
> It seems that when both parents arrive at the box with food
> for the chicks and one bird does this wing flicking that looks
> like the same behavior that young fledglings do when begging
> for food, the other bird immediately flies into the box. It seems
> that the wing flicking means, "you go first".
This may be what was being communicated in the Chickadee situation, but what I observed was somewhat different. At the time I saw the grackles performing this display, they were about 50 yards from the nest site and neither one had any food. Up until this point, I saw the male make one feeding trip to the nest, but he generally was just sitting in the bulrushes above the nest, perhaps a nest-guarding behavior, which is important when the female is incubating.
When I saw this display, the thought struck me that the female might have been communicating the need for the male to adjust his behavior into a nest-feeding mode. The male also was wing-flicking back at the female, perhaps an affirmation of understanding the message.
It is interesting to speculate on what messages are being communicated by birds when they perform various displays, but such a casual observation as mine is just that; a speculation. The two birds may have simply been affirming their pair bond before setting off on an arduous task.
Mike Mammoser
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2.4 KBytes
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 07:55:54 2000
Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagles "birdfeeding"
--------
Bob & others,
Last year I observed a Golden Eagle at Anderson Reservoir with a juv.
plumage White-tailed Kite in its talons. Both adult kites were diving on
the eagle. I have also observed one of the male eagles at Anderson catch
and eat a Yellow-billed Magpie. There is good reason for concern among
birds about the presence of eagles.
Tom
> ----------
> From: email@hidden[SMTP:email@hidden]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 10:09 PM
> To: email@hidden
> Subject: [SBB] Golden Eagle
>
> Speaking of Golden Eagles, saw one soaring over Jasper Ridge on July 3rd
> that
> was being harassed by two smaller birds that turned out, to my surprise,
> to
> be kites. The eagle appeared unimpressed. Bob Buell
>
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 08:53:42 2000
Subject: [SBB] Green Heron - et al - "My Farm"
--------
This morning saw an immature GREEN HERON at "my farm", La Rinconada Park in
Los Gatos. Yesterday had 2 families of 5 each of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK--saw
25 species but nothing unusual. A Red Fox was on the path.
Tried for the Grackles at Almaden Lake and all I saw was a Muskrat swimming
by me. That was unexpected.
In my backyard this morning counted 71 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS - where do they
all come from? My LESSER GOLDFINCH have dwindled to just a few a day.
Family of BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK continue to come eat as does the family of
HOODED ORIOLES. A pair of STELLER JAY are here daily which is new. Had only
had one of those in my backyard perhaps once a year before.
Gloria LeBlanc
off Quito in Los Gatos
"We can't change the financial winds, but we can adjust the sails"
http://www.lgsia.com http://www.wallstreetgifts.com
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 09:09:33 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] :Wingflicking
--------
Hi Mike and others,
I've seen the "wing flicking" behavior in chickadee parents when they had
young in a nest box in our yard, many times over several years. It seems
that when both parents arrive at the box with food for the chicks and one
bird does this wing flicking that looks like the same behavior that young
fledglings do when begging for food, the other bird immediately flies into
the box. It seems that the wing flicking means, "you go first".
Leda Beth Gray
From: "Michael Mammoser"
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 13:30:22 +0100
To: "SBB"
Subject: [SBB] :
The pair of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at Almaden Lake Park are evidently feeding
young in the nest, as of 16 Jul 00.
Shortly after I arrived, I found the male sitting in the top of the
bulrushes on the small island. Soon, the female exited the bulrushes and
began foraging around the edge of the lake, until I lost track of her. When
she returned, some 15 minutes later, she was too quick for me to see
anything before she rentered the vegetation.
For a period of time, nothing seemed to be happening, and I started walking
back along the trail towards the Coleman Ave bridge. Suddenly, I saw the
male grackle fly by and go under the bridge. He was followed within seconds
by the female, who flew over the bridge. In a couple minutes, the male
returned and was carrying some small pale object in his bill. He went to the
island, entering the bulrushes at the point where the female always entered
and exited. He appeared within 5 seconds, clamboring up to the top, with his
bill empty. I waited for some minutes for the female to return past the
bridge, but never saw her.
After a while, I spotted both birds in the bulrushes at the end of the large
island. They flew from here to the other end of the island, where they
engaged in a display of wing flicking at each other. This wing flicking was
what you might normally see a young bird do that is begging for food. I
wondered whether this was some communication of the need to feed young. Up
until this point, the male had been relatively inactive (other than the one
trip I saw him make), but from this point both birds began foraging and
carrying objects to the island in earnest.
I couldn't identify the objects these birds carried, but am quite sure it
was food. The objects were small and undoubtedly not nesting material. Also,
the fact that they were entering the bulrushes at the same specific point,
and exiting within seconds with empty bills, suggests the delivery of food
to young in a nest.
Other breeding observations here:
An adult GREEN HERON feeding an unfledged youngster in the reeds of the
large island. A GREAT EGRET feeding another that was equal to it in size is
indicative of young almost ready to leave the nesting area. A SNOWY EGRET
was carrying nesting material into the reeds of the large island.
Stripe-headed young PIED-BILLED GREBES following an adult and giving their
incessant begging calls.
Mike Mammoser
--------
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 11:50:35 2000
Subject: [SBB] Sunday birds
--------
Hi, folks:
Mixed luck with some Santa Clara birding on Sunday (July 16)....
I started by heading up Loma Prieta. On my one previous visit this year
I missed both Black-Chinned Sparrow (a surprise, based on past experience)
and Purple Martin, and I missed them again yesterday. Of some interest: at
the ridge where the road runs along the county line (3.3 miles from Highland
Ave.) there were about 300 Violet-Green Swallows on the wires. A few Cliff
Swallows were mixed in, but I saw no Martins in the area.
Next to CCFS. The wastewater plant ponds by the levee road are now too
full of water for any shorebirds, but the waterbird pond habitat is in good
shape. I counted 43 Greater Yellowlegs, with only 1 (maybe 2) Lesser. There
were several hundred Long-Billed Dowitchers, and about 50 Western Sandpipers,
but no other non-breeder shorebirds (not even phalaropes). I should note that
it was not long after low tide, so many birds would have been elsewhere.
I then made a run down to Almaden Lake Park, where I saw the male Great-
Tailed Grackle (a long-overdue county bird) at the small reed island. It was
usually concealed, and I saw no sign of the female. [By the way, did anyone
else have a problem with Mike Mammoser's interesting post on the Grackles?
The copy I got was cut off in the middle.] Also here were 2 Caspian Terns,
an adult Common Moorhen (as usual), and young birds of various species,
including a fresh juv. California Gull.
After lunch I stopped by the EEC. An adult Peregrine was having an avian
meal on one of the towers (off to the east). A single Red-Necked Phalarope
(a moulting female) was at the south end of A16. And patience in watching the
Black Skimmer nest spot on the south island in A16 was finally rewarded with
a look at at least two small chicks along with the two adults.
Cheers, Al Eisner
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 12:17:39 2000
Subject: Fwd: [SBB] Unusual Hawk Behavior
--------
Birders,
I forwarded Sylvia White's query to Brian Walton, Coordinator of the
Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group at Long Marine Lab, UCSC.
Here's his response.
Les Chibana
--------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, July 13, 2000
From: Brian Walton
It seems to me she is hearing the baby repeatedly calling to the adults and
may think it is the adult. She may think that the baby would be smaller.
Also it is possible that it is an extremely vocal female who is calling for
a male that is doing poorly due to inexperience or low food availibility.
>--------------------------------------
>Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2000
>From: Sylvia White
>
>Hawk Experts:
>
>For the past about two weeks, a mature male Red-Tailed Hawk has been around
>my house, calling almost constantly. He is usually perched when calling. I
>live in the southern Los Gatos area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just west
>of Highway 17, surrounded by oak woodlands. It is not unusual to hear RTH
>calling as the fly over. They rarely perch near my house. This spring, in
>a canyon nearby, as the hawk flies, I had seen a pair in courting behavior,
>and then heard them there and assumed they were nesting. But this male is
>calling non-stop! (If I didn't like hawks, it would be annoying!). Can
>anyone offer a "scientific explanation"? (My family has come up with
>several spiritual, mystic explanations!)
>
>Thanks.
>
>Sylvia White
>
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 12:45:28 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Missing tail feathers
--------
Pete and SBB,
In the process of banding birds, I've seen many individuals missing tails.
In many cases, the tail feathers were evidently lost before the bird
encountered the nets, as no sign of its tail feathers were seen. I've
also seen how easily some species will lose their tail feathers during
the banding process; of course, while juncos and bushtits come to mind,
scrub-jays don't, in my limited experience. I've also seen many tail-less
birds in the wild getting around just fine (most recently, several male
'Akepa at Hakalau on the Big Island, disappointing from a photographer's
POV!).
The question is specifically about fledglings without tails. Complete
tail loss is not the norm of molt for passerines. They usually replace
tail and other feathers in some kind of gradual sequence, inner to outer,
outer to inner, or some other odd pattern. A fledgling would have soft
juvenal plumage and, I expect, weaker shaft attachments. So, the
possibility of losing feathers, I believe, is greater than with older
birds. When feathers are lost as a result of non-molt effects (aka
"adventitious molt") like getting knocked off by branches, feather
replacement probably occurs as soon as the individual's body can manage.
Since this activity can require a lot of energy, it may be delayed if
occurring during migration. If the feathers are crucial for migration,
this could be a problem for the individual. Tail feathers don't seem to
be that crucial for flight; migration may be a different issue. Since
the bird in question is a scrub-jay, this is probably not a problem.
Even if it has a short-distance, or local, migration, there's probably
little danger for it in lingering while it's replacing its tail.
I guess it may be possible for a bird to have a condition in which it
never grows its tail feathers, but I have never heard of one.
My guess is that the fledgling scrub-jay lost it's tail feathers while
brushing them against a branch perhaps while trying to stay near its
parents. It should start growing back soon enough.
Les
On Saturday, July 15, 2000, Peter LaTourrette wrote:
>A friend just called to tell me of a fledgling Western Scrub-Jay with no
>tail feathers, but with some down where the feathers should be. I have
>often seen passerines missing tail feathers and always assumed the loss was
>the result of a close encounter with a cat or other predator. Considering
>this fledgling, however, it seems unlikely that it would have been able to
>escape such an attack. So the question becomes whether missing tail
>feathers can be a natural occurrence, in which case they might never grow
>in. Does anyone know?
>
>--Peter
>
>------------------------------------------------------
>Peter LaTourrette
>Bird Photography: http://www.birdphotography.com/
>Bird Photo Gallery: http://www.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
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From email@hidden Mon Jul 17 18:12:12 2000
Subject: [SBB] For those interested in San Francisco birding only...article for
audubon newsletter (golden gate chapter)
--------
Half-Time: Big Year 2000
Well, the crazed San Francisco birders are at it again...a city-wide Big
Year contest. There are seven contestants this time around, including three
veterans of the 1998 showdown. Some people never learn. My excuse: I finished
last in '98 and had to do better this time. But Hopkins won, and Murphy, he got
sucked in because it was his big idea to start the Millenium with a Big Year..
He wrote:
"The purpose of this competition is to generate some competitive interest
in birding in the city but to also improve on the understanding of species,
distribution and occurences within the city."
A modest proposal, that.
Official participants are Stephen Davies, Rich Ferrick, Harry Fuller, Alan
Hopkins, Kevin McKereghan, Dan Murphy and Jay Withgott. Jay described himself
as "new in town, having just moved up from Tucson AZ, and just gotten onto
SFBirds [the email list]." Today Jay is just another wind-burned face squinting
into the fog off the Cliff House, or trudging up Mount Davidson for another
vagrant. That is one of the best stories of this Big Year: non-combatant, Paul
Saraceni,
has staked out Mt. Davidson as his regular nieghborhood birding spot. As a
result all the competitors have been forced to chase species he's been reporting
there: Merlin, Band-tailed Pigeons all winter long, all three western Swift
species on May 19th, House Wren, Spotted Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, then in late
spring Hammond's, Dusky and Ash-throated Flycatchers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
American Redstart. McKereghan finds a singing male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
there. Add Brian Fitch's Townsend Solitaire on Davidson April 10 and you have a
hot spot. It is the same spot the '98 BY found it's only Solitaire. Mt.
Davidson is an island of trees and grassland in a sea of roofs and pavement.
Well, it is not a tight contest as it was in 1998. Kevin McKereghan early
established that he had the time, energy and skill to get nearly every gettable
bird in town. He was ahead at the end of January with 148. He still leads with
204 through the first half. Second is Rick Ferrick with 192. After a slower
start, Ferrick rallied with a prodigious 30 new species in April. Kevin is
running several species ahead of Alan Hopkins' record-setting pace for 1998.
Alan ended with
243. The overall Big Year total in '98 was 280 species. So far the BY2K total
is 223, five ahead of the '98 cumulative pace.
Here are some of the highlights so far, with thanks to Mark Eaton, a
retired vet of the '98 Big Year, acting as this year's scribe.
Jan. 2 Reigning BY champ, Alan Hopkins, does mini-Big Day, set record for
the new millenium with 103 species for himself and Calvin Lu (another '98
retiree). They bag Loggerhead Shrike and Harrier at Candlestick, difficult city
birds most years.
Jan. 3, Saraceni issues his first of many daily reports on the birds of
Davidson: includes House Wren and Lincoln Sparrow, must-get birds for all BY
counters. Brian Fitch reports exotic KIngbird at south end of Lake Merced.
McKereghan gets year's first Marbled Murrelet off the Cliff House.
Jan. 5, Ferrick re-finds exotic Kingbird at Merced, setting off the first
lengthy email debate over a bird's ID. Cassin's? Couch's? It turns out to be a
Tropical Kingbird who hangs around for weeks, finally being ticked by every BY
birder and dozens of others.
Murphy bags a Marbled Murrelet off the Cliff House. Everybody has the
Eurasian Wigeon wintering at Stow Lake.
A debate rages over supposed Glaucous Gull at south end of Merced. Biggest
email debate of the year so far. It is finally presumed that there were a
series of legit Glaucous Gull sightings of one or possibly two individuals in
the dense flock of Western, California, Mew and Glaucous-winged that are
normally on Merced during stormy times.
During January Merced also yields Swamp Sparrow, Nuttall's Woodpecker,
Cinnamon Teal, Tennessee Warbler--all difficult S.F. birds.
This is also the first full year for the newly recreated Crissy Lagoon.
Regular reports on birds there come from Josiah Clark: Red-necked Grebe, Merlin,
Peregrine, large flock of Greater Scaup (numbering of 340 at one point), Snowy
Egret. In spring the list included Western Kingbird, a regular city transient
that can be hard to find.
Mid-Jnauary a Loggerhead Shrike set up a hunting territory at east end of
Buffalo Paddock in Golden Gate Park. At the end of the month there was a report
of a Northern Goshawk in San Francisco, but the bird could not be re-found.
Also, several birders found the Baltimore Oriole wintering in the Arboretum.
Withgott spots a Harlequin Duck off the Cliff House. Good find.
February was lively though only 15 new species were added by the whole
group.
On Feb 10 Saraceni sees 400 Band-tailed Pigeons pass over Davidson. The
next day, Fitch wrote: "I'll see your 400 and raise you 1075." That's how many
BTs he counts in two hours atop Twin Peaks on February 11.
Mid-month Dan Murphy reports Yellow-billed Magpies seen by his wife in Daly
City, four miles south. Prescient.
On Feb. 14, Hopkins and McKereghan spot Peterodroma off Cliff House,
species undetermined. None of the petrels are less than rare for San Francisco
shoreline. Same day Kevin has two Northern Fulmars, another difficult onshore
bird. Davies has two Marbled Murrelets overhead at night.
Feb. 18 Hugh Cotter, not in the contest, reports a Murrelet swarm off Cliff
House. In addition to Marbled, one possible Anicent and a Cassin's Auklet.
Feb. 21, Murphy and Fuller get small flock of early Vaux's Swifts over
south end of Merced
Feb. 23, Davies gets an Oldsquaw off Land's End. In early March an
Oldsquaw joins the Scaup off Crissy Field for several days. Everybody scores.
Feb. 29, Barn Owl spotted at Merced near Golf Club House
McKereghan ends February at 157, way ahead.
March 6, Andrew Rush creates a rush with report of Black-and-white Warbler
in willows at east end of Mountain Lake. Bird is hard to find but is seen
repeatedly over the next two weeks.
March 11, Fuller finds American Pipits at Funston.
Mid-March a few sightings of Yellow-billed Magpies occur around Sutro
Heights. Murphy warns Fuller, who lives in that area, "You don't get to see any
of the great birds that show up on your doorstep park. Sorry, that's just how
it is..." At least Murphy missed 'em, too. Davies sees the Magpies on March 20
at the Veterans Hospital. First sightings in S.F. since 1991-2.
March 26, Alan Hopkins' Bird Blitz finds Wrentit in McLaren Park. The
Blitz totals 121 species in S.F.
April proves to be the busy month that was expected. Many north-bound
migrants: Western Kingbird, smaller flycatchers, Gnatcatcher, vireos, western
and vagrant warblers, a Ross's Goose spends several days in Golden Gate Park.
McKereghan, Withgott, Ferrick and Saraceni do a Big Day, getting S. F.
record of 134 species. Overall another sixteen species added to the Big Year
count.
The first week of May brings unusual storms, catching many northbound birds
beneath heavy fogs and hard rains. Big spring fallouts noticed along western
edge of San Francisco. Dense flocks of Orange-crowned and Wilson's Warblers,
knots of Tanagers, Warbling Vireos, Grosbeaks, flycatchers of varous kinds. A
Dusky Flycatcher lands on Davidson. Chat show up in Glen Canyon and Golden Gate
Park. A Red-eyed Vireo is found near Middle Lake. One non-contesant hears the
bird box report, zips out to North Lake and adds eight city lifers in ninety
minutes thanks to the fallout. Sacraceni gets his swift trifecta on Davidson,
Willow and Hammond's Flyctachers show up, a Northern Parula sings for several
days west of West Wash, White Pelicans check out Crissy Field, Magnolia Warbler
is found by Davies near Vet's Hospital, two Hooded Warblers found in city.
Seventeen more species added to the list, most the new ones since January.
McKereghan is now at 200!
June brings an Ash-throated Flycatcher through town and only three new
species. ZZZZZ.
July brought several post-breeding migrants. Elegant Terns are back in
numbers, Sanderlings arrive wearing brown. Murphy had his first Tattler of the
season on Seal Rocks. Wish me luck in September, I'm 19 species behind
McKereghan, but at least I'm way ahead of where I was in '98. We are all
looking forward to a big and busy fall: send those raptors, Waterthrush,
Pectoral Sandpipers, Common Terns, vagrant warblers and wayward migrants this
way, please.
And some jinxes need to be broken. Murphy has no Say's Phoebe in eighteen
months of Big Year birding: Fuller is O for 2 on Townsend's Solitaire.
To follow the action, here's Eaton's webpage for the San Francisco BY2K.
http://home.pacbell.net/mweaton/Birding/B2K/B2KResults.html
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From email@hidden Tue Jul 18 12:36:42 2000
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
Yesterday, 7/17/2000, I saw an eclipse male BLUE-WINGED TEAL at the
North Pond of the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin.
Today, 7/18/2000, I visited Almaden Lake Park for the likely-nesting
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES. The nest site is on the north side of the small
tule-covered "island" that is at the west end of the main, phragmite-covered
island. I guessed that it is about 3' above the water and a foot in from the
edge. I found shade near the boat rental spot gave me the best scope view.
In 45 minutes I watched the male fly to this site three times and the
female once. Twice the male was carrying food that showed as a small white
object at the tip of his bill. Prior to these flights he was foraging in the
picnic tables on the east side of the lake and gleaning something from the
undersides of the concrete picnic tables and benches.
Bill
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From email@hidden Tue Jul 18 13:47:27 2000
Subject: [SBB] Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I walked the large (West) pond of the
Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility in hopes of finding an early Common Tern.
Unfortunately the only terns seen were Caspian (several sightings of single
birds) and Forster's. Several Lesser Scaup were in the canal on the southern
edge of the pond including a pair with nine downy young. Among the other
ducks was an adult male Canvasback (in the East pond). The only gulls seen
included several Ringbilled, 3-4 Western and a single adult Bonaparte's.
Once again this year Brown-headed Cowbirds are abundant. One can't help but
wonder if this is at the expense of Tricolored Blackbirds, a species that has
been easily found in this area in the past but which we have yet to find this
year?
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:53 PM, 7/18/00
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 19 18:45:56 2000
Subject: [SBB] California Condor sighting
--------
Wednesday, at 12:30, at Julia Pfeffer Burns State Park, Barbara
Hutchings and I got incredible views of a California Condor, eyelevel
from about 60 feet away. The bird was soaring off the coastal bluffs and
spotted on the beach trail in the eucalyptus grove.
David Cook
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 19 18:51:51 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] California Condor sighting
--------
>From the Monterey RBA for Sunday, 7/16/00:
Big Sur Coast:
Saturday, 6 CALIFORNIA CONDOR were seen feeding on a seal carcass, 7 miles
south of Nepenthe.
Les Chibana
On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, David Cook wrote:
> Wednesday, at 12:30, at Julia Pfeffer Burns State Park, Barbara
>Hutchings and I got incredible views of a California Condor, eyelevel
>from about 60 feet away. The bird was soaring off the coastal bluffs and
>spotted on the beach trail in the eucalyptus grove.
> David Cook
>
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From email@hidden Wed Jul 19 23:00:47 2000
Subject: [SBB] Good night for birds
--------
Howdy South-bay-birders,
This evening my class and I met at Almaden Quicksilver Park (McAbee Road
entrance) at dusk to do some birding. We walked up to the Senator Mines
Area, and as it got dark we heard a young GREAT HORNED OWL calling from the
ridge above us. Walking in the direction of the Great Horned we were
rewarded with good looks at a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL that flew in and called
above the trail. On our walk back to the parking area we heard a distant
COMMON POORWILL, and saw what was probably a poorwill fly by us in the dark.
Arriving at my parent's house (on the west side of the Santa Teresa
Hills) after our owl walk I was surprised to hear a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL's
primary song coming from right beside the house, and was able to spotlight
it briefly before it flew off. There was also what sounded like either a
Barn Owl or another young Great Horned Owl calling off in the distance.
John Mariani
email@hidden
http://www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 01:52:56 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Sunnyvale Water Treatment Facility
--------
----- Original Message -----
From:
>
> Once again this year Brown-headed Cowbirds are abundant. One can't help
> wonder if this is at the expense of Tricolored Blackbirds, a species that
has
> been easily found in this area in the past but which we have yet to find
this
> year?
As Bob mentions, cowbirds can easily be found in large numbers at this time
of year at the Sunnyvale Sewage Ponds. Tricolored Blackbirds, on the other
hand, are somewhat nomadic and opportunistic as breeders. They may be found
in a location one year and not the next. In addition, I don't know of any
confirmed breeding records for them at the sewage works. According to the
Birds of North America account, Tricoloreds are parasitized only rarely by
cowbirds.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 09:04:50 2000
Subject: [SBB] Common Tern & other recent sightings
--------
Hi all,
Yesterday (7/19/00) I observed a single COMMON TERN sitting on the island on
pond A4 adjacent to the bay trail between the Sunnyvale Dump and Twin Creeks
Park.
OSPREY were observed on 7/17/00 at Lexington Reservoir and Guadalupe
Reservoir (adult female).
Good birding,
Tom
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 09:45:57 2000
Subject: [SBB] -
--------
Folks:
Today, 7/20/2000, I saw an adult GREEN HERON over Stevens Creek at
Crittenden Lane. Next to the small island at the south end of Charleston
Slough I saw a female LESSER SCAUP with two downy young, probably a day or two
old. Most field guides do not show the female eclipse plumage for this
species and it can be confusing as most females lose all of the white that is
normally seen around their bill and on their face. This female was typical in
this respect, being completely brown.
Bill
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 09:59:57 2000
Subject: [SBB] My backyard
--------
When I returned from my 4-mile walk at 8:15 AM today, I counted 74
BAND-TAILED PIGEONS on the wires at the top of by backyard. They've all
been down to eat, but they're easier to count on the wires. Is there this
concentration elsewhere in our county?
I know Bob Reiling and sidekick Frank make an effort to check out a new
bird at the same time of day that it was previously seen. I find it
interesting with the 2 STELLER JAY's that now come daily. I know they
arrive after 9 AM and before 11 AM...it's been every day for going on 3
weeks now. Never in the afternoon, never in the early morning, never near
dusk. I'm guessing the timeframe could be shortened more if I paid more
attention. I must now be on "their route".
Yesterday I had 3 LESSER GOLDFINCH immatures that were so cute fluttering
their wings. I have a 4 foot thistle feeder, with 20 rungs. An adult would
be feeding on the thistle and an immature would land on the same rung with
it and flutter its wings. The adult, on occasion, would pass the food on to
the immature.
I'm so lucky I can spend time at my home office where I can watch the birds
at my 18 feeders. In a month I typically go through at least 100 lbs of
Safflower, 50 lbs of Black-Oiled Sunflower, 80-120 lbs of Dr. Geis, 20 lbs
of Dove & Quail mix and Thistle depending upon the time of year. I'm now
filling my Hummingbird feeders every other day since the HOODED ORIOLES and
hummers drain them quickly. If you wonder who eat the Safflower it's
primarily the House Finches and Band-Taileds. Now you know why I work so
hard, have to pay these bills for seed!
Gloria LeBlanc
Los Gatos off Quito
"We can't change the financial winds, but we can adjust the sails"
http://www.lgsia.com http://www.wallstreetgifts.com
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 13:19:34 2000
Subject: [SBB] Another Great-tailed Grackle & other sightings
--------
Today (7/20/00) Bill Henry and Suzanne Gearhart observed a female
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE at the northern-most of the Ogier Ponds, no male was
observed, but it may be nearby.
Other significant sighting from recent surveys include WOOD DUCKs with young
at Almaden Reservoir on 7/19/00 (TR), Coyote Valley at the southernmost of
the Ogier Ponds and in Coyote Creek downstream of the northernmost Ogier
Pond (BH, SG).
Tom Ryan
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From email@hidden Thu Jul 20 23:48:48 2000
Subject: [SBB] Banded Coopers Hawk
--------
Hello all;
Just a quick note to all about what looked to me to be a young
banded Coopers Hawk in the Campbell area. It had what appeared to
be a 1/2 in. aluminum band on it's LEFT leg. No! I did not get any
part of the number...
I didn't get a long enough glance to be certain that it wasn't a
Sharpie. By the time I got my binocs, and began to try to note the
differences between Sharpies and Coop's, I noted the band--but can't
say absolutely sure that it wasn't a large Sharp-shinned Hawk. My
best call would be Coopers Hawk... Anybody else seen it?
Best regards,
Dusty Bleher
Campbell, Ca.
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 21 08:43:00 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] County birding
--------
----- Original Message -----
From:
>
> a male Agelaius Blackbird that had a red left wing shoulder patch with a
> white edge and a red right wing shoulder patch with a very pale yellow
edge.
> I assume that Red-winged & Tricolored interbreed? Is this bird a hybrid,
Freshly molted Tricolored Blackbirds have a buffy wingbar, until wear
transforms it into a white color. Still, one might expect any individual to
be at least symmetrical. Also, I don't have any references in front of me to
even say whether they are in a molt cycle at this time or not.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Fri Jul 21 14:24:41 2000
Subject: [SBB] County birding
--------
All,
This morning Frank Vanslager and I went to check on the Least Terns in Salt
Pond A2E (the pond north of Crittenden Marsh). At one point we had thirteen
perched on the access walkway with perhaps another half dozen flying over the
pond. We carefully checked out several as they flew near us to make sure
that they were Black Terns (now wouldn't that be a shame).
Earlier in the Stevens Creek Mitigation Pond, we spotted a medium sized
sandpiper with a down-curved bill near the northern edge of the "pond" (a
long distance from where we were near the bridge). The bird was obviously
smaller than a Willet that walk directly behind it and was generally shaped
more like a very small Whimbrel than a Long-billed Curlew (in that it had a
proportionally short bill). As we walked toward the bird, on the Stevens
Creek side, a C-130 Hercules from Moffet Field flew over the pond and flushed
the birds. Even though it was one of the last to fly we lost it