From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 08:26:57 2000
Subject: [SBB] WHPE, BLSK and Spring
Folks:
This morning, 3/1/2000, I counted 15 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS on Salt
Pond A1. About a third are showing small nuptial 'nubbins', but nothing
spectacular. Maybe these birds are oversummering. The count of BLACK
SKIMMERS was up to 11 on Charleston Slough. From Adobe Creek to the Stevens
Creek Tidal Marsh I counted five COMMON YELLOWTHROATS singing so something
must be up.
Bill
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 11:50:37 2000
Subject: [SBB] SCVAS Princeton 2/26
Hi Everyone--
A few folks ignored the weather forecasters and came to Princeton on
Saturday (2/26). This time, the forecasters were correct: 40MPH winds all
morning. Perhaps with unjustified optimism, we headed toward Pillar Point.
Many WESTERN and CLARK'S GREBES were sleeping fitfully in the harbor, and
clouds of CALIFORNIA, GLAUCOUS-WINGED, and WESTERN GULLS scudded in off the
ocean, doing well just to stay in the air. We found a group of CINNAMON TEAL
in the marsh, but the willows were quiet except for something in a reed
patch that sounded like a loud Black Rail with a stutter (maybe 8 ki's
before the derrrr). On the beach, we found two HEERMANN'S GULLS. At the
jetty, only a few WHIMBREL, MARBLED GODWITS, and SANDERLING were around; no
Oldsquaw or Rock Sandpiper. The tide was out, so we went past the jetty to
the point, and found respite from the wind. There were two very close BLACK
OYSTERCATCHERS at the point, and a few PELAGIC CORMORANTS were bobbing in
the waves. We made a side trip to Ocean Colony in Half Moon Bay in hopes of
finding some landbirds. Our best landbird was ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, of which
there were at least 5 in the Eucalyptus and bottlebrush between the northern
fenceline and Turnberry Court. One nice thing about the cloudy skies: the
diffuse light brings out the color in their gorgets so beautifully. In all,
58 species, and high hopes for next year.
Mark Miller
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 12:37:33 2000
Subject: [SBB] more Spring in the air
All,
A pair of COMMON RAVENS was nest building on the northeast
portion of the big wind tunnel here at NASA Ames just now.
Les, have the birds at the Forebay tower been up to anything
yet?
Mike Rogers
3/1/00
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 12:48:32 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] more Spring in the air
As a matter of fact, one raven was atop the tower on Monday morning, 2/28,
beginning a nest. Only about 5 twigs were in place. But I checked just now
and there's no sign of a nest or any ravens right now.
Bill Bousman mentioned Common Yellowthroats this morning. On 2/19 at SFBBO's
Coyote Creek Field Station, the COYE were providing at least half the dawn
chorus.
Les
On Wednesday, March 1, 2000, Dr. Michael M. Rogers wrote:
>
>All,
>
>A pair of COMMON RAVENS was nest building on the northeast
>portion of the big wind tunnel here at NASA Ames just now.
>Les, have the birds at the Forebay tower been up to anything
>yet?
>
>Mike Rogers
>3/1/00
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 15:48:02 2000
Subject: [SBB] ALHU and Spring Air
This morning, there was 1 male ALLEN"S HUMMINGBIRD in the red-flowering
eucalyptus trees east of the Elm Picnic Area in Ed Levin Park. The
Double-crested Cormorants are getting their double crests and a few days
ago, the Western Grebes on the Alviso Salt Ponds were practising their
dancing complete with weeds. Kathy Parker
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 16:43:46 2000
Subject: [SBB] Ravens at Forebay
I have noticed that PG & E is doing some retrofitting of the high
tension towers in the Palo Alto/Mnt. View Area. They have been putting a
'top' on the towers for a new wire (s). Some towers (near the PA Airport
and along Frontage Road) already have the new wire in place. Cable
pulleys have been installed on a few towers toward Mnt. View. I think
the Ravens at the Forebay tower might have to look for another nest
site.
Screech.
--
Paul L. Noble
"Screechowl"
email@hidden
^ ^
@ @
( v )
( )
/ \
m m
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 01 17:13:58 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Ravens at Forebay
I have seen these extra fixtures, too, and thought that they might
interfere with the ravens' nesting. But the ravens near the Forebay
usually build their nest on the second rung down from the top. There
doesn't appear to be any obstruction where they usually nest.
I just stepped out to check out the nest site because one of my co-
workers said that she saw ravens walking around, seemingly looking
for stuff on the ground. They're at it again, with about 4-5 sticks
in place. The new fixtures don't seem to be a problem.
Les
On Wednesday, March 1, 2000, Paul L. Noble wrote:
>I have noticed that PG & E is doing some retrofitting of the high
>tension towers in the Palo Alto/Mnt. View Area. They have been putting a
>'top' on the towers for a new wire (s). Some towers (near the PA Airport
>and along Frontage Road) already have the new wire in place. Cable
>pulleys have been installed on a few towers toward Mnt. View. I think
>the Ravens at the Forebay tower might have to look for another nest
>site.
>
>Screech.
>
>--
>Paul L. Noble
>
>"Screechowl"
>
>email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 02 09:56:14 2000
Subject: [SBB] Hummingbird Festival at U.C.S.C. March 4
Hello All,
Sorry this is a little out of the South Bay, but I thought SBB hummer
enthusiasts would find it of interest.
The U.C. Santa Cruz Arboretum is having a "Hummingbird Festival" this
Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a peak time for hummer
numbers at the arboretum, especailly Allen's. There will be a slide lecture
and tour led by me at 10 a.m. and again by Jeff Davis at 1 p.m. The will be
activities for kids and other tours led by horticulturists. It's free.
To get there: Take Highway 1 north through Santa Cruz (where it is a.k.a. as
Mission St.). Turn right on Western Drive, go uphill to the end, then turn
left on Empire Grade. Look for the arboretum entrance to come up shortly on
the right.
David Suddjian, Capitola
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 03 07:47:47 2000
Subject: [SBB] interesting behavioral sightings
There was a Red-breasted Sapsucker in the large Sycamore by the Adobe
building along the Guadalupe River right where Park Avenue crosses
it. Sighted between 4:30 and 5:00 PM, yesterday, March 2, 2000. I bird
this area often and have not previously seen this bird. I assume it has
already began migration to some extent. The bird was clearly of the
daggetti subspecies.
Eric Feuss
ABTS Application Developer, Administrator
ABTS Support Staff
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Mailstop: W10, 345 Park Ave., San Jose, CA 95110
Phone: (408) 536-3050
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 03 16:13:43 2000
Subject: [SBB] Looks like Spring
Today (3/3) in Los Altos I saw a Scrub Jay covertly gathering fine
twigs. I followed the sneaky bird to find a nest almost completed in a
dense cherry laurel shrub. Look out Bushtits!
Screech.
--
Paul L. Noble
"Screechowl"
email@hidden
^ ^
@ @
( v )
( )
/ \
m m
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 03 16:38:13 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Looks like Spring
On the same theme, a RED-TAILED HAWK carrying nesting material to one of
the traditional nesting redwoods adjacent to Frenchman's meadow on the
Stanford campus; and just after I saw that, a hangover of winter, a MERLIN
flew through like a bat outta hell.
-- Tom Grey Stanford Law School email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 03 17:48:01 2000
Subject: [SBB] Varied Thrush, bats
While I haven't seen as many Varied Thrushes as Garth Harwood, I did have
one foraging in my yard (Skyline Blvd., Santa Cruz Mtns.) on Tuesday. I
also heard one call that morning. Band-tailed Pigeon numbers have been
on the increase. We have around 20+ coming to the house. We haven't even
put out any safflower seed.
On Sunday, Mary thought she heard a bat fly by her ear. Since Tuesday,
we've noticed 2 small myotis-sized bats roosting in our eves even though
the temps have hovered around 40 degrees F.
Les Chibana, Palo Alto, CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 03 22:20:38 2000
Subject: [SBB] bird notes.
Birders:
On Monday Feb 28, saw the following highlights:
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE 1 at the Pacific Athletic Club, Redwood Shores.
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL - the bird at Lake Cunningham.
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT - 200+ at Lake Cunningham.
Today, at the Coyote Creek Field Station (CCFS) near Alviso there was an
adult WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE observed on the sewage ponds from the levee. IN
the eventing lots of Canada Geese were flying into Milpitas to roost,
somewhere out there is a large goose flock which likely has the
White-front, Ross's and small Canadas in it. If you want to bird CCFS, let
me know and I can send you the access agreement.
In Half Mooon Bay, some bird of local interest include:
First singing PURPLE FINCH in my yard this spring. They are absent from my
neighbourhood in the winter, this one appears to have arrived for the
breeding season.
First TREE SWALLOWS of the season today, at Redondo Beach Road.
Two AMERICAN CROWS today in my neighbourhoood. They are not common in Half
Moon Bay, are never around in the winter, and are the first I have seen in
my neighbourhood.
Two SAY'S PHOEBES at Redondo Beach road today. They have not been here
during many visits throughout the winter. I bet these are migrants. The
timing seems right.
Two HEERMANN'S GULLS have been around at Princeton Harbour the last week or
so. I don't think these are migrants, but I guess they could be.
One RING-BILLED GULL in Princeton Harbour last week, rarer than Glaucous
Gull on this part of the coast, so worth a mention.
There are two "BLACK" BRANT wintering on the southern section of Princeton
Harbour (near the boat ramp). One of them is an immature bird, the other an
adult. The immature has a plastic leg band. I have sent in the information
but they don't have it in the database yet as it is this last season's
bird. They figured it was a bird banded as a gosling in the Yukon
Territory, but they will confirm with me later.
regards,
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 Sat Mar 04 12:40:23 2000
Subject: [SBB] Cross-billed RWBL
--=====_95220242341=_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi,
Friday morning before work, I birded Shoreline park. I saw lots of nice
birds, but nothing out of the ordinary except for a Red-winged Blackbird
with a crossed bill. He was singing at the top of a reed in the forebay. Is
this a common deformation?
Don Ganton
--=====_95220242341=_
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Hi,
Friday morning before work, I birded Shoreline park. I saw lots of nice
birds, but nothing out of the ordinary except for a Red-winged Blackbird with a
crossed bill. He was singing at the top of a reed in the forebay. Is this a
common deformation?
Don Ganton
--=====_95220242341=_--
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 04 13:40:37 2000
Subject: [SBB] Northern Rough-winged Swallows
This morning we spotted ten or more NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS over at
Oka Ponds. The were a number of HOODED MERGANSERS and BUFFLEHEADS. We also
saw at least five GREEN HERONS.
Pat Curtis
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 04 15:10:02 2000
Subject: [SBB] Palm Warbler
This morning at SFBBO-CCFS, we banded a Western PALM WARBLER. Judging
from the typical dates of movement for this species provided in Dunn
and Garrett's warbler guide, this is likely an overwintering bird and
not an early migrant. I don't believe that we see very many in the
Spring. It was netted along the creek at net 9280; it was released at
the trailers, as are most of the birds.
We had another big YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER day, with 20 Audubon's and
5 Myrtle's banded. This is out of 49 birds processed. We released
another 4 Audubon's and 1 Myrtle's at the nets. Interestingly, the
Audubon's are just about all showing a small amount of facial and
head molt, and the Myrtle's are showing very little to none.
Les Chibana, Palo Alto, CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 04 16:49:55 2000
Subject: [SBB] birds
After seeing the McCOWN'S LONGSPURS in Colusa County, I stopped at
Coyote Creek north of Tasman and found the GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE about 100
yards past the fourth metal power pole.
Also of interest here is, what looked like, a pair of TURKEY VULTURES
checking out a nest site. These birds were in the branches of a large
sycamore, whose main trunk had broken off. When I passed them (within
about 50 feet) they remained in place, instead of flushing. When I came
by them a second time, they were laying on the branches (rather than
standing), but stood and stretched when I came close. They still did not
flush. I then watched from a discreet distance and saw one jump up onto
the broken off main trunk. Then, after a minute, it dropped down into
the opening, where it stood for a minute before going back up to the top
of the broken trunk. It then remained there for the 15 minutes or so
that my patience held out, and I then left. I thought that the bird's
action was significant.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 04 20:57:12 2000
Subject: [SBB] Hooded Mergansers at Gunn HS
All,
Today was pretty slow at Phipp's Ranch for our field trip. Besides the
unmentionables, the most interesting birds were a couple of ALLEN'S
HUMMINGBIRDS, BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, a large flock of PINE SISKIN and a
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER in the Natural Garden Area. A few of the expected
rock-loving shore birds were present on Pescadero Beach, such as BLACK
OYSTERCATCHER, SURFBIRD, but generally, the rocks were empty of birds.
We could only find three cormorants, and they were all Double-crested.
The Pescadero marsh produced a VIRGINIA RAIL, and a SAY'S PHOEBE. A few
VARIED THRUSHES on 84 going over the hill were seen. I bumped in to Al
Eisner, who had a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET along Pescadero Road. I hope he
did better than our little group.
Back home, there was a male HOODED MERGANSER behind Gunn High school in
a small pond.
Off topic, my Texas trip went quite well. If you're interested, feel
free to look at the itinerary and trip report on my website:
http://www.shank.com/birdguy/texas.html
Cheers,
Matthew Dodder
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 05 11:22:58 2000
Subject: [SBB] SF's Millenium Big Year
Some of the San Francisco bird loonies are at it again...another BIg Year
to start the Millenium....and the number sthi year are far ahead of 1998,
largely because we now where to look for those unsual over-winterers.
Since this one was Dan Murphy's big idea, it's nice to see hinm so far
behind...these prolonged contests verge on maniacal...only three alumni of
the '98 contest have returned for this one...
This from organizer and non-combatant, Mark Eaton.
Kevin still has a comfortable lead:
http://www.best.com/~eaton/Birding/B2K/B2KResults.html
Also, I've put a clarification in the rules for birds not identifed to
species
as was agreed to in '98 (hope that's OK Dan M.). Check out rule 9.
http://www.best.com/~eaton/Birding/B2K/B2KRules.html
Mark
--
Mark Eaton
mailto:email@hidden
SFBirds Web Page
http://www.best.com/~eaton
Golden Gate Audubon Web Page
http://goldengate.ca.audubon.org
"If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it."
- Ernest Hemingway
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 05 12:56:35 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] SF's Millenium Big Year
Harry Fuller wrote:
>
> This from organizer and non-combatant, Mark Eaton.
>
I can take no credit for organizing this latest bit of lunacy; I merely revel in
the activities and am willing to organize the results. Credit for inspiration
and organization must go to Dan Murphy.
Mark
--
Mark Eaton mailto:email@hidden
SFBirds Web Page http://www.best.com/~eaton
Golden Gate Audubon Web Page http://goldengate.ca.audubon.org
"If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it."
- Ernest Hemingway
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 05 15:55:01 2000
Subject: [SBB] White raptor sighting
Lisa Myers, a member of my birding class, reported seeing a very white
raptor along Hwy 152 about 6 mi. east of Casa de Fruta (Bell's Station
Rd.?). There is a wide turnout on the eastbound side of Hwy 152 in this
area. She and a friend saw the bird stoop down over the highway into
the canyon on the right. As it took off, they could see rusty coloring
in the tail but the rest of it looked white. As it rose above them, she
said that the wings looked translucent. When it banked in front of the
sun, she could see that there were some opaque areas in the wings. In
a brief scope view, she felt that its eyes were dark. It was joined by
another raptor that appeared to be a Red-tailed Hawk. The two raptors
did not seem to have an adversarial relationship.
The sighting occured at noon on Sat., 3/4.
Has there been sightings of a leucistic Red-tailed HawK in this area?
Any thoughts on what else this might have been?
Les
--
Les Chibana, Palo Alto, CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 05 16:02:30 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Palm Warbler
At 03:10 PM 3/4/00 -0800, Les Chibana wrote:
>This morning at SFBBO-CCFS, we banded a Western PALM WARBLER. Judging
>from the typical dates of movement for this species provided in Dunn
>and Garrett's warbler guide, this is likely an overwintering bird and
>not an early migrant. I don't believe that we see very many in the
>Spring. It was netted along the creek at net 9280; it was released at
>the trailers, as are most of the birds.
>
Birders:
There are two previous records in the CCFS banding database. The dates are:
11/7/1990
11/10/1993
Also, I recall that there was one banded in the fall of 1999 which has not
made its way to the database yet. This means that this week's Western Palm
Warbler is the fourth banded at CCFS and the first banded outside of the
fall months. Palm Warblers are one of the most common eastern warblers here
in California, but they are overwhelmingly coastal in their occurrence and
are a still a darn good find at CCFS. Good going banders!
>We had another big YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER day, with 20 Audubon's and
>5 Myrtle's banded. This is out of 49 birds processed. We released
>another 4 Audubon's and 1 Myrtle's at the nets. Interestingly, the
>Audubon's are just about all showing a small amount of facial and
>head molt, and the Myrtle's are showing very little to none.
>
This is a very interesting observation and one worth following up on.
Another tidbit may interest folks. I am working on the analysis of the last
decade of banding at CCFS and have discovered that Myrtle Warblers (the
eastern/northern form of the Yellow-rumped Warbler) has shown a significant
increase in numbers over the last decade while Audubon's Warblers have
stayed roughly at similar numbers during that time. So in relative terms
Myrtle Warbles are more common at CCFS now than they were 12 years ago. I
was quite surprised by this.
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 Sun Mar 05 16:55:17 2000
Subject: [SBB] Sunday birds
Late morning today (March 5) I visited Shoreline Lake in Mountainview.
Conditions were windy and occasionally drizzly. There were at least 75
Surf Scoters on the Lake, but I didn't detect any more unusual ducks. The
five species of Grebes included a number of Eared already in breeding plumage,
and a few Horned en route. Finally, at least one Red-Throated Loon was still
present.
About 2 PM I stopped by Almaden Lake. I'd seen a small but varied set of
Gulls there over a month ago, but in light of recent interesting sightings and
comments that this time of day was best, it seemed worth checking out. Well,
there were only 2 Gulls on the entire Lake! A bit later a few dozen settled
in near the north end. I think there's a good chance that the Kumlein's-type
Gull was among them -- at least, there was a first-year Gull which showed
quite white wingtips in flight and a dark bill, and which didn't appear large
enough for a faded Glaucous-Winged; but the distance was too great and it
didn't stay long, so there was no chance to study it adequately. Other birds
here: a Clark's Grebe, a Spotted Sandpiper, and at least 10 N. Rough-Winged
Swallows.
Al
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 06 07:26:32 2000
Subject: [SBB] Osprey and Peregrine
While shopping on Sat. 3/4 my wife, Linda, and I observed a Peregrine Falcon
feeding from a lamp pole over the intersection at Blossom Hill and Almaden
Exp about 4:00 pm. Feathers were flying everywhere. It finally flew norht
over the Almaden Plaza shopping center out of sight.
While walking our dog (on leash) along Almacito Creek (3:00 pm) we observed
an Osprey soaring overhead toward Almaden Lake. Also observed an aerial
display between a pair of brightly colored Red-shoulder Hawks.
As we were returning to parking lot where we parked the car (upstream from
the lake), we observed a pair of coyote leaving the creek to return to the
hills near an area where new homes are under construction. They seemed
wary, but unafraid as we approached.
In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 06 08:17:05 2000
Subject: [SBB] A few Sunday birds
Hello All,
Not much to add for Sunday, Mar 5, to what has already been posted, but here
goes:
Alum Rock Park: three COMMON MERGANSERS seen along the creek near the YSI -
one adult female and two female/imm-types
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 06 11:29:16 2000
Subject: [SBB] birds
On Sunday, 5 Mar 00, I drove around the south county and checked various
sites. The SANDHILL CRANE was in a back yard of the housing complex at
Santa Teresa and Fitzgerald, just on the other side of the fence
separating it from the stubble field. At the Morabito goose farm, there
were 9 ROSS' GEESE and the single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, which
looked to be free-flying individuals. There were also 4 BLACK-NECKED
STILTS here. I couldn't find any CCSP. A female OSPREY was feeding on a
telephone pole along the entrance road to the Coyote Ranch, just south
of Parkway Lakes.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 06 13:25:06 2000
Subject: [SBB] February SC Co. List
Bill Bousman has reported the February birds. The new ones are:
Sandhill Crane, Lesser Yellowlegs, Allen's Hummingbird, Violet-green
Swallow, Nor. Rough-winged Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Clay-colored
Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak
The total is now 200 for the year.
The complete information is posted 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 Mon Mar 06 15:48:17 2000
Subject: [SBB] Fwd: bittern sighting
SBBers,
Here's a possible American Bittern sighting, from Sunday, 3/5,
at Sunnyvale water treatment plant area. The bird description
is minimal but the behavior sounds a bit more like bittern
than night heron (of course, I'm reading a lot into this).
The location directions are not very clear, but this sounds
like the reedy area on the right while facing north, a short
ways before the radar building.
Les
--------------------------------------
>Hi Les.
>
>Bob has more experience with American Bitterns, and that's what he
>thought it was. He didn't hesitate to say it was a bittern.
>Unfortunately, he's out of town for about a week.
>
>I saw a good-sized bird burst out of the reeds about twenty feet in
>front of us, fly forward about thirty feet fairly low to the ground, and
>then drop back out of site into the reeds. I basically saw the bird
>from behind, and for no more than 5 seconds. It looked like it had a
>mustard color. I would say it was about the size of a snowy egret, a
>black crowned night heron, or a cormorant. Based on similar sitings at
>Grey Lodge last year, I immediately thought it might be a bittern. I've
>seen immature black-crowned night herons before, and that wasn't my
>first thought.
>
>I'm not sure how to describe where we saw it, but I'll try. We parked
>in the parking lot near a green port-a-potty. We walked forward past
>the potty a bit and turned right. We then walked toward the bay a bit,
>crossed some water and turned right. We walked forward a bit towards
>Alviso and turned left. We walked forward a bit and then there was a
>fairly big loop that looks like a square. We saw the bittern on the
>right side of the square about a third of the way up. This side of the
>square faces toward Alviso and there are two levees. Starting from
>Alviso and going towards Palo Alto it would be marsh/reeds, levee,
>channel, levee, big square of water, levee on the other side of square.
>We were on the levee closest to Alviso facing the marsh.
>
>Hope this gives you a feel for whether it was an American Bittern, and
>for where we saw it.
>
>Thanks,
>Ira
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 06 18:19:39 2000
Subject: [SBB] Just Birds
I had a PURPLE FINCH in my backyard today. 23 BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, 5
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and quite a few GOLDEN-CROWNED. I have not seen "my"
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW in a month.
I've been gone for 10 days on a cruise of the Southern Caribbean
(disappointing birding). I checked out "my farm" Sunday. I am so proud of
the Town of Los Gatos. They had their slave labor crew (those people being
forced by the courts to do community service) clearing out bottle brush,
etc. Whereas "my farm" had begun to look like an inner city park, it no
longer does. The Park Ranger said he'd seen 5 people walk by with my "Birds
of La Rinconada Park" list that morning. He was impressed.
At "my farm" it appears that STELLER JAYS are working on a nest. BELTED
KINGFISHER quite vocal. Didn't have time to bird.
TUFTED TITMOUSE is carrying nesting material into same bird box that was
used last year by them in my backyard.
At my neighbors, the female WESTERN SCREECH OWL continues to use their
nesting box each night.
For the 4th year I am going to do the SF Bird Blitz with Alan Hopkins on
Sat, March 25 7AM-9PM. If anyone would like to carpool with me, email me.
I'm leaving for Seattle, but I'll be back!
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 Mon Mar 06 19:33:41 2000
Subject: [SBB] February archives, etc. now online.
South Bay Birders,
I have just updated the South-bay-birds message archive to include
February 2000.
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/southbay.htm
Mike Rogers has contributed some very interesting pictures of the
Lesser Black-backed Gull currently at Lake Cunningham. See:
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/lbbg4.htm
Mike has also provided nice photos of the Sandhill Crane in Gilroy,
and a Rufous-capped Warbler in Arizona. They are at the photo
gallery:
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/gallery.htm
The mystery duck at the Palo Alto Baylands seems to be solved:
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/feb00.htm
but the debate now rages over a thrasher and a female bluebird. The
bluebird reminds me of the controversy surrounding the infamous Geng
Road Mountain/Western bluebird from a couple months ago.
http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/mysteries.htm
There is a new message board in case you'd like to offer reasoned
opinion or shameless speculation. Enjoy!
--
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044: mailto:email@hidden
California Birding; Mystery Birds: 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 Mar 06 20:45:55 2000
Subject: [SBB] Weekend Birds
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_0094_01BF87AC.F8195E40
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Saturday=20
Gloria's Farm aka La Rinconda Park
ACORN WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, BEWICK'S WREN, =
BLACK PHOEBE, BROWN CREEPER, BUSHTIT, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, CEDAR WAXWING, =
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, FOX SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED =
SPARROW, HAIRY WOODPECKER, HOUSE FINCH, LESSER GOLDFINCH, MOURNING DOVE, =
NORTHERN FLICKER, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER, OAK =
TITMOUSE, PURPLE FINCH, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, RED-TAILED HAWK, =
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, SPOTTED TOWHEE, STELLER'S JAY, WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, =
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER=20
Oka Ponds additional birds
AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN CROW, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, COMMON =
SNIPE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, DOWNY WOODPECKER, GREAT BLUE HERON, =
HOODED MERGANSER (several pairs), HORNED GREBE, LESSER SCAUP, MALLARD, =
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, OSPREY, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-WINGED =
BLACKBIRD, RING-NECKED DUCK, ROCK DOVE, RUDDY DUCK, SNOWY EGRET=20
Sunday
SCVAS field trip - VERY WINDY & COLD
Coyote Hills Regional Park. Leader: Frank Vanslager=20
AMERICAN BITTERN, AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN KESTREL, AMERICAN PIPIT, =
AMERICAN ROBIN, BARN SWALLOW, BLACK PHOEBE, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, =
BUFFLEHEAD, CALIFORNIA THRASHER, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, CANADA GOOSE, =
CINNAMON TEAL, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, COOPER'S HAWK, DOUBLE-CRESTED =
CORMORANT, FOX SPARROW, GADWALL, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, GREAT BLUE =
HERON, GREAT EGRET, GREATER SCAUP, KILLDEER, MALLARD, MARSH WREN, =
NORTHERN HARRIER, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, NORTHERN =
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-TAILED HAWK, RED-WINGED =
BLACKBIRD, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, RUDDY DUCK, SONG SPARROW, TREE SWALLOW, =
TURKEY VULTURE, WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-TAILED =
KITE
Grant Webb
------=_NextPart_000_0094_01BF87AC.F8195E40
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Saturday
Gloria's Farm aka La Rinconda Park
ACORN WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, BEWICK'S WREN, =
BLACK=20
PHOEBE, BROWN CREEPER, BUSHTIT, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, CEDAR WAXWING,=20
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, FOX SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED =
SPARROW,=20
HAIRY WOODPECKER, HOUSE FINCH, LESSER GOLDFINCH, MOURNING DOVE, NORTHERN =
FLICKER, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER, OAK TITMOUSE, =
PURPLE FINCH,=20
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, RED-TAILED HAWK, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, SPOTTED =
TOWHEE,=20
STELLER'S JAY, WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, YELLOW-RUMPED =
WARBLER=20
Oka Ponds additional birds
AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN CROW, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, COMMON =
SNIPE,=20
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, DOWNY WOODPECKER, GREAT BLUE HERON, HOODED =
MERGANSER=20
(several pairs), HORNED GREBE, LESSER SCAUP, MALLARD, NORTHERN =
ROUGH-WINGED=20
SWALLOW, OSPREY, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, RING-NECKED =
DUCK, ROCK=20
DOVE, RUDDY DUCK, SNOWY EGRET
Sunday
SCVAS field trip – VERY WINDY & COLD
Coyote Hills Regional Park. Leader: Frank Vanslager=20
AMERICAN BITTERN, AMERICAN COOT, AMERICAN KESTREL, AMERICAN PIPIT, =
AMERICAN=20
ROBIN, BARN SWALLOW, BLACK PHOEBE, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, =
BUFFLEHEAD,=20
CALIFORNIA THRASHER, CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, CANADA GOOSE, CINNAMON TEAL, =
COMMON=20
YELLOWTHROAT, COOPER'S HAWK, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, FOX SPARROW, =
GADWALL,=20
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, GREAT BLUE HERON, GREAT EGRET, GREATER SCAUP, =
KILLDEER,=20
MALLARD, MARSH WREN, NORTHERN HARRIER, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, NORTHERN =
PINTAIL,=20
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, PIED-BILLED GREBE, RED-TAILED HAWK, =
RED-WINGED=20
BLACKBIRD, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, RUDDY DUCK, SONG SPARROW, TREE SWALLOW, =
TURKEY=20
VULTURE, WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-TAILED KITE
Grant Webb
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 07 21:37:07 2000
Subject: [SBB] COME
Monday evening, 3/6/00, at 5:45pm I counted 43 Common Merganser on Almaden
Lake, most of them were near or south of the .
In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 08 09:57:49 2000
Subject: Fwd: [SBB] COME
I just re-read my own posting and discovered it didn't send the entire
message AND it contained an error.
It should have read '...near or NORTH of the island."
----- Original Message -----
> Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:37:07 -0800 (PST)
> From: Karl Fowler
> To: email@hidden
> Subject: [SBB] COME
> Message-ID:<3781218.952493827215.JavaMail.imail@derby>
>
>
> Monday evening, 3/6/00, at 5:45pm I counted 43 Common Merganser on
Almaden
> Lake, most of them were near or south of the .
>
> In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________________
> Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite
> Visit http://freeworld.excite.com
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email@hidden
In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 08 13:32:52 2000
Subject: [SBB] Wed. birds.
This morning, around 10 a.m. while walking the Alamitos Creek Trail I saw:
A lone Killdeer calling and sprinting about on a rocky sandbar. This is
first time I can recall seeing this bird in this area.
Also seen; a pair of Spotted Towhee, and a pair of Bushtits near their nest.
I had seen a single Bushtit enter this nest on Monday. (The next is located
just inside the park area in a small tree on the park side between the
entrance from the trail and the bridge. It is a beautiful example of the
Bushtit's nest.)
A Lincoln's sparrow was near the trail between the park entrance and the
bridge to the south where the trail goes under the road. Near this bridge I
could hear a very melodious song, but the only birds I could see in the area
were a pair of Starling. Is it too early for the Northern Oriole?
Barbara Harkleroad
Almaden
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 08 15:47:00 2000
Subject: [SBB] Gulls
All:
Mike Rogers and I visited the BFI landfill in Milpitas today. There were
about 25,000+ gulls (Mike will come up with some final numbers). We had 5
sightings of imm. Glaucous Gulls involving a minimum of 3 (1 2W, 2 1W)
individuals. One of these was on the Fremont lagoons, which is almost a
guaranteed site for seeing this species.
We also saw a minimum of 220 Tricolored Blackbirds.
Nick
Nick Lethaby
Technical Marketing Manager
CoWare, Inc.
Tel: 408 845 7646
E-mail: email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 08 16:22:53 2000
Subject: [SBB] Newby Island
All,
This morning 3/8/00, Nick Lethaby and I checked out the gulls at the
Newby Island Landfill near the Alameda County line. Unfortunately,
we spent less time attempting to estimate the number of gulls than
we should have, but there were at least 20,000 gulls feeding at the
landfill and quite likely as many as 23,000 there by the time we left.
An additional 5,000 gulls on the Fremont Lagoons suggests a minimum of
25,000 gulls, with this number quite possibly being an underestimate.
As usual, the vast majority of these birds were HERRING GULLS, but
there were plenty of other species and unusual unidentifiables mixed
in. I took about 75 pictures of a dozen or so individuals - if you
like gulls I would be glad to send you scanned jpeg files for study.
Remarkable was the large number of second-year birds of all species
and relatively low numbers of first-winter birds. It seems that the
summer of 1998 produced a bumper crop of young gulls, whereas 1999 was
not so productive. This same age composition has been noted by
several gull-watchers elsewhere in SCL, as well as on the San Mateo
County coast this winter.
Although it is hard to get good estimates of the number of each
species, our rough estimates break down as follows, with the
non-Herring species undoubtedly being under-estimated:
HERRING GULL 20,000
CALIFORNIA GULL 5,000
THAYER'S GULL 150+
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL 80
WESTERN GULL 70 (mostly adults, with some 1st-wtrs)
RING-BILLED GULL 5
GLAUCOUS GULL 3 to 5
GLAUCOUS x HERRING GULL 4 + other possibles
Also noted were several other large THAYER'S-type GULLS that were
possibly GLAUCOUS-WINGED x HERRING GULLS, although they are perhaps
best left as "strange gull sp". Other oddities included such things
as an apparent second-winter HERRING GULL (pale eye, sharply bicolored
bill) with no gray on the mantle, very pale GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, a
second-winter possible GLAUCOUS x GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL with a strange
pink and black bill, a second-winter HERRING GULL with virtually white
greater coverts, and several pale THAYER'S GULLS that were
superficially similar to "Iceland" gulls because of bleached tertials
and primaries (still with tail bands, secondary bars, and some dark
pigment on the concealed portions of the primaries though).
Nick found the first GLAUCOUS GULL in the first flock we scanned. It
was largely chalk white, with some limited brown smudging on the
underside. The yellow eye and paling bill tip identified the bird as
a second-winter individual. I found the next bird flying at the other
end of the dump later. It was also all chalk white, but it was too
hard to see eye color and subtleties of the bill tip to age it beyond
1st/2nd winter. Shortly after this bird flew by, Nick picked out
another all white bird down at the Fremont Lagoons. Again distance
precluded aging beyond 1st/2nd winter. Just as we were concluding
that all young Glaucous Gulls have faded to white by this time of
year, Nick located a close first-year bird that had the usual pale tan
marbling. And finally, just before leaving, I picked out a nearly all
white first-year bird with somewhat extensive tan smudging on the
underparts (all dark eye and bill tip). Thus there were at least
two-first winter and one second-winter bird present, but all five may
have been different individuals and the Fremont Lagoon bird didn't
seem to be moving around much, staying in the same spot for the nearly
half an hour that we could see that part of the lagoon. I managed to
get photos for three of the sightings at the dump.
There were also several large flocks of male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS,
with up to 230 birds in a single flock. Despite these numbers we did
not see a single female.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 09 09:05:50 2000
Subject: [SBB] SISKIN?
Wednesday at my hanging sunflower feeder I observed what I first thought to
be a Pine Siskin, the first for this year. It was about House Finch size,
but chunckier, heavily streaked breast, pinkish legs (the field guide shows
black legs.) The odd part was I could see none of the tell-tale yellow
feathers. The top of the back had a greenish tone (almost the color of roof
moss), a very distinct brown eye patch with a long whiteish eyebrow and a
whiteish line under the eye patch. There was no white edge to the upper
wing. I've never seen a bird like this before. Any ideas?
Barbara Harkleroad
Almaden
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 09 09:45:53 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] SISKIN?
At 09:05 AM 3/9/00 -0800, Barbara Harkleroad wrote:
>Wednesday at my hanging sunflower feeder I observed what I first thought to
>be a Pine Siskin, the first for this year. It was about House Finch size,
>but chunckier, heavily streaked breast, pinkish legs (the field guide shows
>black legs.) The odd part was I could see none of the tell-tale yellow
>feathers. The top of the back had a greenish tone (almost the color of roof
>moss), a very distinct brown eye patch with a long whiteish eyebrow and a
>whiteish line under the eye patch. There was no white edge to the upper
>wing. I've never seen a bird like this before. Any ideas?
This doesn't sound at all like a Pine Siskin. It doesn't sound right for
Evening Grosbeak or Oriental Greenfinch (both of which show green backs)
because of the streaking on the breast. Is there any first-winter pluamge
of Evening Grosbeak that shows a heavily-streaked breast?? It may be some
kind of escaped weaver finch.
If it shows up again, please try to a really complete description or
photos, just in case it's something really rare.
>Barbara Harkleroad
>Almaden
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Nick Lethaby
Technical Marketing Manager
CoWare, Inc.
Tel: 408 845 7646
E-mail: email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 09 09:51:14 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] SISKIN?
At 09:45 AM 3/9/00 -0800, Nick Lethaby wrote:
>At 09:05 AM 3/9/00 -0800, Barbara Harkleroad wrote:
>>Wednesday at my hanging sunflower feeder I observed what I first thought to
>>be a Pine Siskin, the first for this year. It was about House Finch size,
>>but chunckier, heavily streaked breast, pinkish legs (the field guide shows
>>black legs.) The odd part was I could see none of the tell-tale yellow
>>feathers. The top of the back had a greenish tone (almost the color of roof
>>moss), a very distinct brown eye patch with a long whiteish eyebrow and a
>>whiteish line under the eye patch. There was no white edge to the upper
>>wing. I've never seen a bird like this before. Any ideas?
>
>This doesn't sound at all like a Pine Siskin. It doesn't sound right for
>Evening Grosbeak or Oriental Greenfinch (both of which show green backs)
>because of the streaking on the breast. Is there any first-winter pluamge
>of Evening Grosbeak that shows a heavily-streaked breast?? It may be some
>kind of escaped weaver finch.
>
>If it shows up again, please try to a really complete description or
>photos, just in case it's something really rare.
>
>
I sent a message to Barbara suggesting that it could be a female Purple
Finch. I just got them back at the feeder here in Half Moon Bay and the
descriptions fits pretty well. Purple Finches here in the west are a lot
greener than those usually pictured in the field guides (race californicus
in our part of the world) and commonly have a green wash to the back. Also,
the birds coming to my feeder have dull pinkish legs which also fits the
description.
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 Mar 09 10:04:40 2000
Subject: [SBB] PISI vs PUFI
All,
I agree with Al that a female/immature Purple Finch does sound like
what Barbara is describing. A very useful mark in separating these
two species (Pine Siskin and Purple Finch) is the bill. While a
Purple Finch has a typical finch bill that is obviously thick, Pine
Siskins have surprisingly thin and sharply pointed bills that can
appear almost warbler-like rather than finch-like.
If the bird returns, a careful study of the bill may be instructive.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 09 10:20:12 2000
Subject: [SBB] Coyote Hills Regional park
All:
Can anyone talk to me about the best way to bird Coyote Hills regional park
up North of Fremont. Are there are species that are easier to see there
than elsewhere locally? I will going there on Saturday.
Nick
Nick Lethaby
Technical Marketing Manager
CoWare, Inc.
Tel: 408 845 7646
E-mail: email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 09 11:20:06 2000
Subject: [SBB] Yesterday's Alamitos Creek field trip
All,
Thought that I would drop a few lines on yesterday's SCVAS field trip which
was refreshing on several layers. First off, we had a couple self confessed
beginning birder's. (Wednesday field trips are usually composed of
experienced birders 75 percent of which are active field trip leaders. It's
nice to have birders along who get excited when seeing the red on the crown
of a nearby Ruby-crowned Kinglet.) Second, the trip was well attended.
(Lately with all the rain, wind and cold several trips have been canceled and
several others poorly attended. I personally lead a trip recently with just
two birders in attendance and know of another trip with only three birders.)
Third, it was not to windy and it didn't even sprinkle until the very end of
the trip. (A few people did, however, leave early because they were to
cold.) Finally the birding was good despite the fact that there were no
gulls on the sandy island at the mouth of the creek in Lake Almaden. (I
personally saw 44 species and know I missed a White-tailed Kite. We even had
extended "killer" looks at the best birds, a male Merlin perched on a dead
snag less than 50 feet away [imagine what that looked like in the Questar at
50 power] and a Fox Sparrow perched on Blackberry vines about 20 feet away
who then flew to a nearby tree and posed while slowly turning front to back
to front much as a model would in displaying a fine outfit. We also had
multiple sightings of Scaly-breasted Munias, Lonchura punctulata, a.k.a.
Nutmeg Manikins, a striking male Common Merganser in the creek and in flight
and a Clark's Grebe with two Westerns in the lake.) All in all it was one of
those trips we've been waiting for these last few weeks.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 11:02 AM, 3/9/00
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 10 09:32:47 2000
Subject: [SBB] Coyote Valley Species
Hi Folks,
I have a couple questions regarding Federal or State special status species
sightings in Coyote Valley - the area where the Cisco development is planned
at Santa Teresa and Bailey, extending from Tulare Hill and Blanchard down to
Bailey.
-Has anyone seen any special status species such as White-tailed Kite,
Coopers Hawk, Tricolored Blackbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark,
Long-billed Curlew, Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk,
Merlin, or Prairie or Peregrine Falcons nesting on that property or using it
on a regular basis at any time of the year? I saw both Golden Eagle and
Loggerhead Shrike across Santa Teresa next to the road during the CBC last
January, but I don't know how common they are there.
-Do geese occur out there during wet winters? I was told to check for them
during the count, so I figured that was the case.
Thanks,
Leda Beth Gray.
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 10 12:30:35 2000
Subject: [SBB] Fwd: Help with identification
This message didn't seem to get through to the list.
Les Chibana, SBB List Bureaucrat.
--------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, March 9, 2000
From: email@hidden
>From: "Andy Gibb"
>To:
>Subject: Help with identification
>
>Hello, South Bay Birders.
>
>I have been in the area for a few weeks and have got fairly confident =
>with separating your sparrows, gulls and hawks. It seems as though the =
>golden rule with the last of these is to assume a Red-tail until there =
>is compelling evidence to the contrary! And the immature sparrows really =
>got me for a while.
>
>I am left with one intriguing sighting at Sunnyvale Baylands Park on the =
>17th of last month. I saw a small, dark sparrow up a tree near the =
>entrance parking lot. I was able to get the binoculars on to it from a =
>distance of about 30 feet, so the view was not bad. When I say dark, I =
>mean that black would be an overstatement but not by much. And I assumed =
>sparrow because of its somewhat conical bill. It had a short tail and =
>there was the suggestion of a paler eyebrow. It was also possible that =
>the head was paler than the rest of the body with darker ear patches. =
>The light was not great and any of these effects could have been due to =
>the it (I have seen enough crows with apparent markings to be aware of =
>this).
>
>The bird flew off, fortunately in to another tree with a handful of =
>others. I was now further away but its companions showed as all dark =
>too. I may have caught a paler wing bar on one or two and one that was =
>facing me definitely seemed to have a streaky chin. I fancied also that =
>the bill may have been slightly paler than the rest of the
>bird.
>
>And that's it. They took off before I could get closer. I have been back =
>several times since without seeing anything remotely like them. I cannot =
>find such a uniformly dark sparrow in my field guide nor any small =
>passerine of that colouring. My suspicion now is that I was looking at a =
>flock of escapees but perhaps someone out there will be able to put me =
>right.
>
>Thanking you in anticipation.
>
>Andy.
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 10 12:48:54 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Fwd: Help with identification
Andy,
Could the birds you saw have been female Red-winged or Tricolor
blackbirds? They are dark, blackish brown with a noticeable, pale
supercillium (eyebrow) and are often seen in flocks. I don't know
if their bills would fit your description, "somewhat conical", or
would appear paler than the body.
Was this bird or its companions vocalizing? If so, can you describe?
Les Chibana
On Friday, March 10, 2000, Les Chibana wrote:
>This message didn't seem to get through to the list.
>
>Les Chibana, SBB List Bureaucrat.
>
>--------------------------------------
>Date: Thursday, March 9, 2000
>From: email@hidden
>
>>From: "Andy Gibb"
>>To:
>>Subject: Help with identification
>>
>>Hello, South Bay Birders.
>>
>>I have been in the area for a few weeks and have got fairly confident =
>>with separating your sparrows, gulls and hawks. It seems as though the =
>>golden rule with the last of these is to assume a Red-tail until there =
>>is compelling evidence to the contrary! And the immature sparrows really =
>>got me for a while.
>>
>>I am left with one intriguing sighting at Sunnyvale Baylands Park on the =
>>17th of last month. I saw a small, dark sparrow up a tree near the =
>>entrance parking lot. I was able to get the binoculars on to it from a =
>>distance of about 30 feet, so the view was not bad. When I say dark, I =
>>mean that black would be an overstatement but not by much. And I assumed =
>>sparrow because of its somewhat conical bill. It had a short tail and =
>>there was the suggestion of a paler eyebrow. It was also possible that =
>>the head was paler than the rest of the body with darker ear patches. =
>>The light was not great and any of these effects could have been due to =
>>the it (I have seen enough crows with apparent markings to be aware of =
>>this).
>>
>>The bird flew off, fortunately in to another tree with a handful of =
>>others. I was now further away but its companions showed as all dark =
>>too. I may have caught a paler wing bar on one or two and one that was =
>>facing me definitely seemed to have a streaky chin. I fancied also that =
>>the bill may have been slightly paler than the rest of the
>>bird.
>>
>>And that's it. They took off before I could get closer. I have been back =
>>several times since without seeing anything remotely like them. I cannot =
>>find such a uniformly dark sparrow in my field guide nor any small =
>>passerine of that colouring. My suspicion now is that I was looking at a =
>>flock of escapees but perhaps someone out there will be able to put me =
>>right.
>>
>>Thanking you in anticipation.
>>
>>Andy.
>
>
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>email@hidden
>
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 10 14:48:32 2000
Subject: [SBB] Bushtit nest.
Atten: Mike Rogers
I was at Almaden Lake Park today and the Bushtit nest and birds were still
there (at around 2 p.m.) I attempted a couple of pictures, but the outcome
is questionable. I did not want to draw a lot of attention to the area.
The tree holding the nest is the second tree, an evergree oak of small
stature, from the picnic area by the bridge. The nest actually appears to
overhang the dirt part of the trail. I may attempt more pictures later in
the day when the sun is in a different position.
Barbara
Almaden area
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From email@hidden Fri Mar 10 15:06:21 2000
Subject: [SBB] Purple Finch
I'm happy to report to all that the mystery bird at my feeder fits perfectly
Al Jaramillo's description of a female Purple Finch-a new backyard bird for
me.
Thanks, Al.
Barbara Harkleroad
Almaden area
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 11 15:51:25 2000
Subject: [SBB] CCFS 3/11/00
It was a busy morning of banding at CCFS. We processed 62 birds and
released another 6. Once again, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were the most
numerous. There were 22 Audubon's (5 recaptured) and 5 Myrtle's (no
recaps). We had a flock of 11 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES in one net at one
run. There were several males molting into their black and yellow
plumage. We also had 8 HERMIT THRUSHES (5 recaps). Most exciting,
unique birds today: an adult male VARIED THRUSH (beautiful plumage!)
and a WINTER WREN.
Once again, the Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warblers often showed body
molt while the Myrtle's didn't. Today, I noticed that the male
Audubon's showed the most molt and several were replacing 5-6 of
the inner greater coverts. A few were in neqrly full breeding plumage.
One Audubon's showed heavy pox lesions on its feet. I've never seen
this species with pox before. I haven't been seeing much evidence
of avian pox lately, but I haven't been out at the station that much.
For the leppers: there was one Mourning Cloak this morning (one also
seen last Saturday).
Les Chibana, Palo Alto, CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 12 12:04:45 2000
Subject: [SBB] rock doves
Not an exciting request. But I need to take a photograph of a domestic
pigeon for an educational piece I've just written for the Wildlife Center of
Silicon Valley.
Please send me an e-mail (do not reply to SBB) of any nearby sites that I may
find a good concentration of these city birds.
Thanks for your help,
Trudi
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 12 17:01:53 2000
Subject: [SBB] Grant Park 12Mar00
> THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--MS_Mac_OE_3035725313_98463_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
All:
Notable birds during a hike along the Eagle Lake Trail in Grant Park today
included an adult male columbarius Merlin, six Tree Swallows, and the
distinctive peeer of a calling Western Wood-Pewee in the area near the ranch
house where a stream runs adjacent to the trail on the left heading toward
Eagle Lake. This is about a mile (?) before the corral. I did not see the
bird, but it was heard briefly in the oaks that grow very close to the left
side of the trail.
Good birding,
Michael Wienholt
Sunnyvale
--MS_Mac_OE_3035725313_98463_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
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Grant Park 12Mar00
All:
Notable birds during a hike along the Eagle Lake Trail in Grant Park today =
included an adult male columbarius Merlin, six Tree Swallows, and the=
distinctive peeer of a calling Western Wood-Pewee in the area near t=
he ranch house where a stream runs adjacent to the trail on the left heading=
toward Eagle Lake. This is about a mile (?) before the corral. I did not se=
e the bird, but it was heard briefly in the oaks that grow very close to the=
left side of the trail.
Good birding,
Michael Wienholt
Sunnyvale
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 12 21:35:40 2000
Subject: [SBB] MERL, RUHU, PSFL and Swallows
All,
Yesterday, my Palo Alto Adult School group had a female MERLIN at Don
Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, we also had superb
looks at at least 4 CLAPPER RAILS along the marsh trail. We had a nice
opportunity to compare CLARK'S and WESTERN GREBE very close together.
Many BONAPARTE'S GULLS were in the salt pond area as well as a few
RING-NECKED DUCK.
Later in the day I went to the small pond behind Gunn Highschool to get
photos of the HOODED MERGANSERS (of which there were six) and found some
other interesting birds as well. There were many Selasphorus
hummingbirds around. I expect most of them were Allen's Hummingbirds,
but the first bird I got a good look at turned out to be a beautiful
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD with a completely rusty back and flaming orange
gorget. I tried to get a look at some of the other hummers buzzing
around the eucalyptus trees, and found at least two ALLEN'S, and many
ANNA'S. There were foraging over the pond, and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
in the willows near the bridge. A PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER was calling
in the same area.
Today, Jesse Conklin and I went to Coyote Hills Regional Park and found
HORNED LARK and a group of 12 HERRING GULLS along the levee trail. There
were several BARN, TREE, VIOLET-GREEN and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS
over the main pond by the first parking lot.
Matthew Dodder
Spring Quarter for the Palo Alto Adult School Beginning Birding Class
begins April 3.
http://www.shank.com/birdguy/
or
http://www.paadultschool.org/
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 12 23:26:15 2000
Subject: [SBB] Almaden Lake
--=====_9529323756334=_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi,
Today at Almaden Lake, I once again saw a Nutmeg Mannikin gathering nesting
material, but was unable to find the location of any nests. Does someone
know anything about where they locate their nests and what shape they are?
About the only info I have is what is in the NGS field guide. Are there any
online resources? These birds have me fascinated.
I also saw an Acorn Woodpecker apparently excavating a nest cavity and
three Northern Flickers foraging. If you bird the park, check out the "Hill
Trail". It's a short walk, but it's interesting since parts of the trail
are level with or above some of the oak trees lower on the hill, giving
good vantage points. The trailhead is near the bridge on the side closest
to Almaden Expressway.
Don
--=====_9529323756334=_
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Hi,
Today at Almaden Lake, I once again saw a Nutmeg Mannikin gathering nesting
material, but was unable to find the location of any nests. Does someone know
anything about where they locate their nests and what shape they are? About the
only info I have is what is in the NGS field guide. Are there any online
resources? These birds have me fascinated.
I also saw an Acorn Woodpecker apparently excavating a nest cavity and
three Northern Flickers foraging. If you bird the park, check out the "Hill
Trail". It's a short walk, but it's interesting since parts of the trail are
level with or above some of the oak trees lower on the hill, giving good vantage
points. The trailhead is near the bridge on the side closest to Almaden
Expressway.
Don
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 04:37:48 2000
Subject: [SBB] Lesser Black-backed Gull (3-12-2000)
South-Bay-Birders:
Cheri Pillsbury of Stockton informs me that she saw the Lesser
Black-backed Gull at Lake Cunningham yesterday in San Jose. So, it's
still around for those who still have not yet seen it.
--
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 07:56:30 2000
Subject: [SBB] Red Breasted Sapsucker -Skyline Open Space
On Saturday, at Skyline Open Space Preserve, Alpine Pond side, near the
Ranger Area on the wide trail back to Horseshoe Lake, just before the tennis
courts were three Red-Breasted Sapsuckers. They were sitting in a tree with
no leaves along with about 4 robins. They were squawking at each other.
Their chest was a beautiful fire red with the yellow, orange, and red colors.
I went back on Sunday, but I could not find them again. A single Double
Crested Cormorant was at both Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake on Saturday and
Sunday.
Julie Muir
Mountain View
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 10:39:06 2000
Subject: [SBB] birds
On Friday, 10 Mar 00, I heard a WILSON'S WARBLER singing along Coyote
Creek south of Hellyer.
On Saturday, 11 Mar 00, I went to Stevens Creek Park. ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLERS were singing on territory. The pair of RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS is
breeding again on the nest in the sycamore tree near the residence that
is next to the Bay Trees Picnic Area. Not much in the way of migrants,
but a lot of singing by local residents. A few wintering birds were also
gearing up their voices, including RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and a nice male
VARIED THRUSH. A SPOTTED SANDPIPER in basic plumage was working the
debris along the reservoir spillway. A check of Stevens Creek above Mt.
Eden Rd failed to turn up any Dippers.
On sunday, 12 Mar 00, I stopped at CCFS. Plenty of YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS about. The local TREE SWALLOWS were cavorting about the
cottonwoods, interrupted briefly by an immature PEREGRINE FALCON which
decided to perch in their midst. An immature COOPER'S HAWK was hunting
the overflow channel, and trying to be really sneaky about it. It was
flying about 2 feet above the ground down a cut along the reveg area,
darting quickly into the taller vegetation after unsuspecting birds it
came across. I didn't see it take anything, though.
This morning I saw a couple of WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS checking out the
hwy 101 overpass of Bernal Ave.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 10:43:56 2000
Subject: [SBB] Birds at Jasper Ridge
Hi Folks,
I did my new bird route at Jasper Ridge on Saturday and saw a female Commer
Merganser "kayaking" down the creek below Searsville Dam. The creek was
flowing swiftly, as the dam was still releasing water, and she, perhaps to
get away from us, took off down the creek into some small rapids, looking
very much like a little kayak, getting pulled back and forth, sucked down
and flying back up.
Other birds of interest were 10 Varied Thrushes, a couple of Orange-crowned
Warblers, 3 Red-breasted Sapsuckers, 10 Purple Finches and a Green Heron
along the lake that was out of my count area. Shooting stars were abundant,
as were the purple Giant Trillium and Hounds Tongue.
Leda Beth Gray.
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 12:48:48 2000
Subject: [SBB] BEKI
I took a walk today, 13 Mar 00, along Coyote Creek south of Hellyer, and
had some activity at the BELTED KINGFISHER bank. Both birds were
chattering away, and one flew up to the bank where they have nested in
recent years. But it veered suddenly and flew off when it saw me coming
up the trail. I'm assuming that they are working on a new burrow.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 15:48:47 2000
Subject: [SBB] Some birds
All,
This morning in Alum Rock Park Frank Vanslager and I saw a Canyon Wren on the
south side of the creek 50 feet downstream of the bridge located at the east
end of the east parking lot (near the Youth Science Institute). We went
there (and to Ed Levin County Park, the north part) in hopes of finding a
Rufous Hummingbird. No such luck, lots of selasphorus hummingbirds but none
with a sufficiently red back to be certain of the ID.
It should be noted that shortly after we entered the park the Alum Rock Ave
entrance was closed and no vehicles were being allowed in. Reason, the road
near the entrance is clearly slipping downhill. Looks like they have another
reason to close the park (they certainly don't want people coming in the
Penitencia Creek Road entrance for as we left they closed that entrance
behind us). I should also note that I was stopped by a park ranger, who was
coming from the opposite direction, for driving to fast and for not having my
headlights on? I was probably going between 15 & 20 mph (about half the
speed that the bicycle in front of me was going). The headlight requirement
is new to me.
At Ed Levin Park a not-to-shy Bobcat was working the grassy field located
between the Sandy Wool Lake dam and the Spring Valley Golf Course. At one
point Frank and I were within about 100 feet of it and it just seemed to
ignore our presence. By the time we left it had worked it's way north until
it was about 150 feet from the parking lot and the restrooms.
Final note, I heard that a possible Yellow-bellied/Red-naped Sapsucker was
seen near the mausoleum on Sunday's SCVAS field trip.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 3:50 PM, 3/13/00
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 15:53:39 2000
Subject: [SBB] CBCH
hello all
A pair of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE's started nestbuilding today
(3/13/00) in a nestbox in our backyard in suburban San Jose (near
Camden and 85). We bought one of those balls of readymade
nest-material (cotton?) at the local birdfeeder store and the birds
found it within an hour and are using it constantly.
There goes another 20 rolls of film!!
Alan W.
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 16:12:37 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] CBCH
At 3:53 PM -0800 3/13/2000, Alan Walther wrote:
>A pair of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE's started nestbuilding today
>(3/13/00)
We saw the first one on our feeder this morning (santa clara central
park area) as well. And our niger feeder is being attacked by about a
dozen goldfinches. We've also had crows in the backyard twig hunting,
much to the amusement of the rest of the yard's population...
--
--
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 Mar 13 17:48:06 2000
Subject: [SBB] Saturday field trip, changes to my web pages
Howdy South-bay-birders,
The SCVAS field trip to Almaden Lake/Alamitos Creek on Saturday, Mar. 11,
was fortuitously scheduled (no rain for a change!) and brought out a very
large group or eager birders. The birds also seemed to be enjoying the break
in the weather. In all about 70 species were observed.
Winter birds were still plentiful, and there were a few small surprises.
Frank Vanslager saw a female YELLOW-SHAFTED (NORTHERN) FLICKER at the
Almaden Lake parking area just before I arrived. During our walk we also
enjoyed excellent views of SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER,
HERMIT THRUSH, and LINCOLN'S SPARROW.
Spring, however, was definitely in the air. Everywhere there were birds
singing. A very vocal RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW was one of the highlights.
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, CALIFORNIA THRASHER, and a host of other birds were
also singing upstream from the lake. There were the usual RED-SHOULDERED
HAWKS, and we had nice looks at COMMON MERGANSER (unusually scarce) and
GREEN HERON.
Signs of breeding activity: NUTMEG MANNIKINS were collecting nesting
material in the reeds at Almaden Lake (they appear to be nesting in an oak
near the creek inflow), some got to see a pair of RED-TAILED HAWKS
copulating, and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES were excavating an old woodpecker
hole in an oak at the picnic area upstream. We refound the BUSHTIT nest
reported by Barbara Harkleroad in a live oak at the park. They have
progressed pretty far in its construction.
We did have a few returning migrants--an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was
foraging in an oak near the park office, and N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS are
again flying over the creek.
We returned to the lake in the early afternoon, just in time for the
daily gull influx. The six species on the gravel bar at the creek inflow
included a freak CALIFORNIA GULL with a ridiculously long beak, 1 MEW GULL,
and numerous THAYER'S GULLS of all ages. Non avian highlights of the trip
were a pair of MUSKRATS in the creek and a WESTERN POND TURTLES at the lake.
Sunday night I saw a large slow-flying bat along Alamitos Creek at
dusk--possibly Hoary Bat?
I've just given my web pages a major facelift, and added a bird photo
gallery. You can find it at www.birdswest.com
I have another beginning birding class starting on March 30th. For
information on the class you can click on the above link, or go directly to
http://home.att.net/~redknot/birdwatching_for_fun.htm
John Mariani
email@hidden
www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Mon Mar 13 20:07:54 2000
Subject: [SBB] EEC
At noon today, 3/13/00, I went to the Don Edwards Environmental Education
Center in Alviso to observe birds and take a break from work. The gate was
closed at the Railroad Crossing, so I walked on into the center. On the
first salt pond beyond the EEC, I hadmy first close-up look at a male Surf
Scoter. It was with a group of 25 Lesser Scaup. Also, there were about 100
or so Eared Grebes on the pond.
Waterfowl included Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Cinnamen
Teal, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Canada Geese, Coots, Greater
Yellowlegs (3), American Avocets, and Black-necked Stilts. Only one Snowy
Egret and one Greater Egret were seen.
Barn Swallows and Tree Swallows were flying around the stream. A Hermit
Thrush and a very dark reddish-brown Fox Sparrow popped up from the bushes
surrounding the pond behind the center (while a fox was taking a nap in the
warm sun). Golden Crowned Sparrows are still around but no White-Crowned
Sparrows were seen. Common Yellowthroat, Bushtits and about six
Yellow-rumped Warblers were flitting through the Willows and Sycamores.
Altogether, a beautiful, clear, sunny day with a light breeze blowing made
for a wonderful lunch time break from work.
In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.
_______________________________________________________
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 14 00:48:53 2000
Subject: [SBB] Friday birds, Charleston Slough
I actually got unchained from the desk, so I took a couple of hours
down at Charleston Slough on Friday, altogether a wonderful change
from the last month...
along with the usual suspects (egrets, etc), there were a nice supply
of greater scaups, ruddy ducks (everywhere!), a number of canada
geese, canvasbacks, one western grebe, a bunch of american avocets
and yellowlegs (I think lesser), and I ran into two ducks I noted as
Mandarins, but I didn't refind them on the way back, and I might be
wrong. I also ran into one true weirdie, which my notes described as
looking like a puffin and a tern went off for a weekend, and the kid
got a nosejob. I finally identified them at home with a different
guide as two of the resident black skimmers that some guides insist
aren't there...
also had a nice look at four huge turkey vultures soaring, and a
partial glance at an unidentified hawk (I'd heard it call a few times
previous, and caught it just as it pounced into the grass; it didn't
take off again, so it evidently found lunch); the underside was
almost completely white, and that's all I saw.
All in all, I'm glad spring is arriving. I might even see some of it (grin)
--
--
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 Tue Mar 14 07:35:29 2000
Subject: [SBB] Loon, Pelicans, and Peregrines
Folks:
Yesterday, 3/13/2000, I saw three RED-THROATED LOONS on Shoreline Lake.
I counted five AM. WHITE PELICANS on Salt Pond A1 in the morning, but none in
the afternoon. At the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh I noted an adult PEREGRINE
FALCON fly in from Moffett and, at first, I thought its legs were defective,
as they were sort of dangling, instead of being tightly pulled in. But as it
flew by, I could see that the dangling legs were instead those of its prey,
tightly held. It landed on a tower there and I was able to determine that the
prey was a WESTERN MEADOWLARK. The BLACK SKIMMER count at Charleston Slough
was ten.
Bill
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 14 09:25:59 2000
Subject: [SBB] Stanford sapsucker, peregrines, etc
Bob Reiling wrote:
>...Final note, I heard that a possible Yellow-bellied/Red-naped Sapsucker
>was seen near the mausoleum on Sunday's SCVAS field trip.
True. On the Stanford field trip 3/12, we had brief glimpses of a sapsucker
with a dark border on a very red throat and other prominent facial
markings. Following it through the oak trees for several minutes failed
to give better views. The location was about 100 yards southwest of
the mausoleum and just east of the Cactus Garden (or "Arizona Garden",
as signs now indicate). An attempt to refind the sapsucker Monday
lunchtime failed.
Other higlights of the Stanford field trip included:
- 2 PEREGRINE FALCONs circling high over the vicinity of the steam and
cogeneration plants near Campus Drive. (A pair was seen regularly using
the thermal emissions from these facilities for soaring during January
and early February. A single PEFA was circling high in the same area
this morning (3/14) at 8:30 am.)
- Lots of RED-SHOULDERED HAWK activity, including copulation on top of
tree near the Art Museum.
- Also lots of RED-TAILED HAWK activity including aerial courtship near
Palm Drive, and a bird at a nest high in a eucalyptus near Campus
Drive at the golf course.
- A few WHITE-THROATED SWIFTs were seen repeatedly and were joined by
a few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWs over the oval.
- A WESTERN BLUEBIRD female was near the Business School arch in an area
where this species nested last year.
- Several PURPLE FINCHes and at least 2 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERs were near
the Cactus (Arizona) Garden.
- Lagunita had at least 7 duck species: RING-NECKED DUCK (15), GREATER
SCAUP (3), CANVASBACK (1), BUFFLEHEAD (6), COMMON GOLDENEYE (1),
RUDDY DUCK (20), MALLARD (10) (Numbers approximate)
Cheers,
- Dick Stovel email@hidden
Richard Stovel email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 14 19:09:29 2000
Subject: [SBB] Spring has sprung
Today, Tuesday, a pair of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, maybe the same ones as last
year, is building a nest in one of the pots hanging above our front porch.
Last year they successfully nested there. We are in the flats of Los Gatos,
so this pair is unusual. A MOURNING DOVE was testing the fit of a pot
hanging outside the kitchen today, also. Kathy Parker
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 14 19:18:44 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Spring has sprung
Up here in the northland (SF) spring signs include:
Brandt's Corm in breeding plumage
Paired Clark's Grebe at Merced
Real rings of the Pied-billed Grebe
Winter Wrens, R/S Hawks and Crows carrying nesting material in GGP
Marsh Wrens building faux nests at Merced
Blue Herons already on nests at Merced
Paired California Quail
singing Townsend Warblers
singing Juncos
drumming Downies
singing Co Yellowthroat
Surfbirds in breeding plumage at Cliff House
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From email@hidden Tue Mar 14 22:38:50 2000
Subject: [SBB] Foothill College
Dear Birders,
Red-shouldered hawks are nesting on campus. They are in the eucalyptus
trees at campus entrance #5. If you are facing the entrance to campus
they are in the 5th eucalyptus tree to the right. High up were the tree
forks into 3 branches. It is actually easier to see the nest if you
enter the campus, stop at the campus map and look back (tree is 5th to
left). Today both male and female were around. One carried a good
sized twig to the nest.
Ginny Becchine
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 08:11:58 2000
Subject: [SBB] Parrots & Juncos
Hello all,
The Naturalized Parrot Conference went very well. It was topped off by a
field trip to a roost site in Temple City where nearly 1,000 Amazona &
Aratinga parrots roost each evening. I will be writing up a summary of what
I found which will go into the proceedings of the meeting. Please contact
me off the listserv at (email@hidden) if you would like a copy.
I have another request for information from a student at UCSC who is
studying urban Juncos. I was wondering if people could send me reports of
breeding Juncos within urban and residential areas in the south bay. I will
then pass those along to the student.
Thank you again for all your help.
Good birding,
Tom
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 09:06:25 2000
Subject: [SBB] FW: Birds at Jasper Ridge
> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--MS_Mac_OE_3035955985_88584_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
I am resending the following message that for some reason didn't go through
on Monday.
Leda Beth Gray
----------
From: Leda Beth Gray
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 10:43:56 -0800
To: South Bay Birds
Subject: Birds at Jasper Ridge
Hi Folks,
I did my new bird route at Jasper Ridge on Saturday and saw a female Commer
Merganser "kayaking" down the creek below Searsville Dam. The creek was
flowing swiftly, as the dam was still releasing water, and she, perhaps to
get away from us, took off down the creek into some small rapids, looking
very much like a little kayak, getting pulled back and forth, sucked down
and flying back up.
Other birds of interest were 10 Varied Thrushes, a couple of Orange-crowned
Warblers, 3 Red-breasted Sapsuckers, 10 Purple Finches and a Green Heron
along the lake that was out of my count area. Shooting stars were abundant,
as were the purple Giant Trillium and Hounds Tongue.
Leda Beth Gray.
--MS_Mac_OE_3035955985_88584_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
FW: Birds at Jasper Ridge
I am resending the following message that for some reason didn't go through=
on Monday.
Leda Beth Gray
----------
From: Leda Beth Gray <email@hidden>
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 10:43:56 -0800
To: South Bay Birds <email@hidden>
Subject: Birds at Jasper Ridge
Hi Folks,
I did my new bird route at Jasper Ridge on Saturday and saw a female Commer=
Merganser "kayaking" down the creek below Searsville Dam. The cre=
ek was flowing swiftly, as the dam was still releasing water, and she, perha=
ps to get away from us, took off down the creek into some small rapids, look=
ing very much like a little kayak, getting pulled back and forth, sucked dow=
n and flying back up.
Other birds of interest were 10 Varied Thrushes, a couple of Orange-crowned=
Warblers, 3 Red-breasted Sapsuckers, 10 Purple Finches and a Green Heron al=
ong the lake that was out of my count area. Shooting stars were abunda=
nt, as were the purple Giant Trillium and Hounds Tongue.
Leda Beth Gray.
--MS_Mac_OE_3035955985_88584_MIME_Part--
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 13:32:29 2000
Subject: [SBB] OUT OF AREA. 3-day Texas Gulf Coast Trip Report URL
This is out of the area, but if you're interested, you can read about it at
http://home.earthlink.net/~blutman/texasgulf2000.html
Cheers,
Bob & Sharon Lutman
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 14:42:58 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Spring has sprung--DEJU and OATI
I think DEJU are changing their range. From the period 20-25 years
ago when it was it unusual to find one overwintering here, they are
year-round residents now in our yard north of the Foothill Expressway.
A pair of Oak Titmice are sitting on eggs in one of our nest boxes.
and hatching should be eminent.
Ruth Troetschler
184 Lockhart Lane
Los Altos, CA 94022
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 7:09 PM -0800 3/14/00, Joe Parker wrote:
>Today, Tuesday, a pair of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, maybe the same ones as last
>year, is building a nest in one of the pots hanging above our front porch.
>Last year they successfully nested there. We are in the flats of Los Gatos,
>so this pair is unusual. A MOURNING DOVE was testing the fit of a pot
>hanging outside the kitchen today, also. Kathy Parker
>
>
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>server. If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the
>message body of "unsubscribe south-bay-birds" to email@hidden
Ruth Troetschler
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 14:44:33 2000
Subject: [SBB] County Greater Roadrunner
All,
This morning during a survey trip for SCVAS's upcoming Gilroy Hot
Springs/Canada Road field trip Frank Vanslager heard a GRRO calling from the
hill across the road (Canada Rd.) from the M & M Ranch. The bird was finally
found half way up a small oak tree located at the top a brushy portion of the
hill (near the ridgeline). (M & M Ranch is a regular stop for this trip and
is associated with two large Eucalyptus trees.) During this trip we saw most
of the hoped for species; Common Merganser, Purple Finch, Varied Thrush, Lark
Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Wild Turkey and Golden Eagle. A big miss was the
Western Kingbird and a Wood Duck would have been a nice addition. The GRRO
was a county life bird for Frank and me.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 2:44 PM, 3/15/00
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 14:56:58 2000
Subject: [SBB] EEC
At noon today I visited the Environmental Education Center area in Alviso.
Perched at the top of one of the power towers along Grand Ave. was a
molting? Ferruginous Hawk (the feathers around the shoulders were fluffy and
very faintly barred while the belly area was 'normal' (tight against the
body) with no markings, making the FEHA look like it was wearing a loose
cape. Only the front was visible - all white with an all white tail. I was
unable to see the legs due to the tower. It was not there when I left an
hour later.
The male Surf Scoter was still on the salt pond behind the center - I was
able to see that it is injured and unable to use its left leg. Seems to
swim quite well anyway, could be around for awhile.
Karl
'In this year 2000, a chicken will still be a chicken.'
_______________________________________________________
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 18:18:42 2000
Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek
All,
Today 3/15/00, I spent lunch at Stevens Creek County Park, hoping for
recent spring arrivals. There were at least 8 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS
(5 singing), but I couldn't find other recent arrivals (not even a
Pacific-slope Flycatcher), despite coming up with 42 species.
Species found were fairly typical of March, with 8 HUTTON'S VIREOS (6
singing), 2 singing PURPLE FINCHES, a female VARIED THRUSH, a singing
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER and early breeding activity by the resident species
(e.g. OAK TITMOUSE carrying nesting material). An adult male COOPER'S
HAWK was in courtship flight, with crissal feathers extended, near the
Chestnut Picnic Area. A GOLDEN EAGLE soared high over the dam.
I heard a Canyon Wren-like note (Dipper way down here?) near where the
creek flows out of the park east of the Chestnut Picnic Area - would
be an unusual place for either of these species - but I couldn't track
the perpetrator down. Also many "MYRTLE" and "AUDUBON'S"
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and two LINCOLN'S SPARROWS back in this area as
well.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Wed Mar 15 23:59:37 2000
Subject: [SBB] Downtown San Jose screech-owl
Howdy Sout-bay-birders,
At about 8pm tonight (Wed.), as we walked out of the San Jose State
University library, Jolene and I were surprised to hear the primary song of
a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL coming from across the quad. We followed the sound to
a tall conifer. The bird continued calling high above us--of course we
didn't have binoculars or flashlights. Jolene tells me she sees diurnal
raptors around there, so I probably shouldn't be so surprised, but the
location, a landscaped quad surrounded by building and urban downtown
streets, was not where I would have expected to find one. It was calling
frequently, apparently on territory.
By the way, the SJSU library has a large collection of older bird books,
but disappointingly little of recent vintage. It looks like during the 1990s
they spent most of their resources on computer rather than book aquisition.
John Mariani
email@hidden
www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 06:59:58 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Downtown San Jose SJSU screech-owl
South-Bay Birding Afficianados:
As someone who works at SJSU, I am happy to report that the Western Screech
Owl _is_ resident on our campus. (I teach two night classes, so I am often
on campus quite late.) I first saw it in 1995, and have heard it at least
once every year since - but I hadn't yet heard it this year, so am delighted
with the report. The campus actually does have some bird-y spots: I have a
species list of over thirty, and that's without really trying (i.e. no
binoculars, no time dedicated to birding on campus - just what I see in my
daily rounds).
As to the Western Screech-Owl, there are a couple of trees it seems to favor
(judging more by call rather than sightings). If anyone wants to do a
modest owl prowl on campus in search of it, I'd be happy to meet after one
of my night classes.
Jennifer Rycenga
----------
>From: "John Mariani"
>To: "South-bay-birds"
>Subject: [SBB] Downtown San Jose screech-owl
>Date: Wed, Mar 15, 2000, 11:59 PM
>
>Howdy Sout-bay-birders,
>
>At about 8pm tonight (Wed.), as we walked out of the San Jose State
>University library, Jolene and I were surprised to hear the primary song of
>a WESTERN SCREECH-OWL coming from across the quad. We followed the sound to
>a tall conifer. The bird continued calling high above us--of course we
>didn't have binoculars or flashlights. Jolene tells me she sees diurnal
>raptors around there, so I probably shouldn't be so surprised, but the
>location, a landscaped quad surrounded by building and urban downtown
>streets, was not where I would have expected to find one. It was calling
>frequently, apparently on territory.
> By the way, the SJSU library has a large collection of older bird books,
>but disappointingly little of recent vintage. It looks like during the 1990s
>they spent most of their resources on computer rather than book aquisition.
>
>John Mariani
>email@hidden
>www.birdswest.com
>
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 07:17:39 2000
Subject: [SBB] Libraries
Folks:
John Mariani commented on San Jose State U's old bird books. Keeping
up a library is a tough business. Stanford's collection of _Bird-Lore_, the
magazine that preceded _Audubon_ and had records of bird sightings prior
to 1947, has apparently been trashed. Has anyone run into a library with
this series? I assume Cal has it, but I haven't checked.
Bill
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 12:00:22 2000
Subject: Re: [SBB] Libraries
Bill and all,
The U.C.B. library does indeed have the full set of American Birds,
Bird-Lore, etc.
Steve Glover
Dublin, CA
email@hidden
_______________________________________________________________________
When an Anglican bishop asked the famous biologist J.B.S. Haldane what
biology had shown him about the designs and predilections of the Creator,
Haldane is purported to have replied, "An inordinate fondness for beetles."
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 14:49:21 2000
Subject: [SBB] RFI: Is there a FLABIRD?
Sharon and I are going all over Florida for eight days in early April. Does
anybody know if there is a listserver like CALBIRD, for Florida, which I can
subscribe to?
The only one I know is BIRDEAST, but that's going to get me lots of stuff I'm
not interested in.
Thanks,
Bob
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 14:51:15 2000
Subject: [SBB] Fwd: Bird Lore and other library-related things
SBBers,
I forwarded John Mariani's and Bill Bousman's message to
Tina Peterson, SJSU Science Librarian, who has occasionally
been on this list. Fortunately, Tina is a birder and has an
interest in the available literature. She explains the nature
of the SJSU science library holdings. Hope this is helpful.
Les Chibana
--------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2000
From: Tina Peterson
>Les,
>Here is some insight on SJSU library's birding holdings. We do hold
>a back run (1913 - 1940) of Bird Lore in our Senter Road facility which
>is where all the Wahlquist Library materials went in preparation for
>the new library. Senter Road is open to the public; go to
>
>http://library.sjsu.edu/info/maps/senter/default.htm
>
>for more information, or call (408) 924-2245 to find out Senter Road's
>hours and location.
>
>The catalog record for Bird Lore is here
>
>http://130.65.100.1:80/search/t?SEARCH=bird+lore
>
>Senter Road has copy machines, but journals don't circulate outside
>the facility. You can find out which journals are in SJSU Library by
>doing a title search for the name of the journal in our Catalog
>
>
> http://library.sjsu.edu
>
>Or, you can email me!
>
>As far as books are concerned, we must build our collection based on
>the curriculum. Neither ornithology nor field studies have been
>large components of the biology curriculum in the 13 years that I
>have been biology librarian here. In the past, our budget allowed
>us to buy outside the curriculum, and with my interest in birding
>books, I have been happy to have access to the older books. However,
>since the early nineties with the spiraling cost of scientific
>journals and less than adequate state support, the budget has had
>to stretch a long way in every discipline. I always welcome input
>on which titles are the most important to own (hint, hint: suggest
>a few!), but people need to realize that the serving the curriculum
>is the library's main mission.
>Happy birding and reading,
>Tina Peterson
>
>Les Chibana wrote:
>
>> Tina,
>>
>> Do you happen to have any background or insights on these comments?
>> I believe that you're currently off the SBB list, so I would like to
>> forward any applicable comments that you might have.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Les
>>
>> --------------------------------------
>> Date: Thursday, March 16, 2000
>> From: email@hidden
>>
>> >Folks:
>> >
>> >John Mariani commented on San Jose State U's old bird books. Keeping
>> >up a library is a tough business. Stanford's collection of _Bird-Lore_,
>> >the magazine that preceded _Audubon_ and had records of bird sightings
>> >prior to 1947, has apparently been trashed. Has anyone run into a
>> >library with this series? I assume Cal has it, but I haven't
>> >checked.
>> >
>> >Bill
>>
>> --------------------------------------
>> Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2000
>> From: John Mariani
>>
>> [snip]
>> >
>> >By the way, the SJSU library has a large collection of older bird books,
>> >but disappointingly little of recent vintage. It looks like during the 1990s
>> >they spent most of their resources on computer rather than book
>> >aquisition.
>> >
>> >John Mariani
>> >email@hidden
>> >www.birdswest.com
>
>--
>Christina A. Peterson
>Science Librarian
>San Jose State University
>California
>email@hidden
>408-924-2727 (voicemail)
>408-924-2701 (fax)
>
>Visit the Library without Walls!
>http://library.sjsu.edu/staff/peterson/peterson.htm
>
>
>
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 17:20:33 2000
Subject: [SBB] Some Skyline Blvd. birds
Last night as Mary and I got home, we heard a robust screechy sound
coming from trees above our house. The vocalizations persisted, so
I got a flashlight and located a cinnamon-breasted, female BARN OWL,
a new yard bird for us. It's "call" was more screechy with a tonal
quality than the hissy sound I've usually heard.
This morning, the first selasphorus hummingbird in our yard this
year was chased off the feeder by a male Anna's. I only saw the
rufous flanks.
Also, seen this morning were 3 FOX SPARROWS among the lingering
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. 2 of the FOSPs were typical sooty-types.
The 3rd was brighter red in the tail and primaries, and lighter
in the face and head. I wasn't able to get a good look at this
bird to see if the lores were light or pick up any other details.
Compared to the plates in the sparrow guides, it was a fairly
good match with the altivagans depicted in Byers, et al. It was
lighter than altivagans/schistacea as depicted in Rising and
slightly darker than iliaca. This bird wasn't as bright as the
iliaca-like bird that I saw here in 11/98. Perhaps it's a
zaboria (duller, grayer than iliaca), altivagans, or shistacea.
I'll see if I can get better views and details before it moves
on.
Les Chibana, Palo Alto, CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu Mar 16 17:24:15 2000
Subject: [SBB] Santa Teresa Hills
Howdy South-bay-birders,
This afternoon I took a hike in the Santa Teresa Hills for some much needed
excercise. I started on the west side of the hills, and did the Stile Ranch
Trail/Fortini Trail loop plus some side trails.
Returning migrants included Selasphorus hummingbirds (there was a
gorgeous male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD near the trailhead parking lot in the
county park) and BARN SWALLOWS. Along the Fortini Trail I saw some evidence
of nesting: a pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS were perched next to a bluebird
box, and a pair of YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES were seen going to a nest in the
crown of a redwood in front of a house. Odd for the location were a
STELLER'S JAY heard in a wooded gully, and what sounded suspiciously like a
BROWN CREEPER along another wooded seepage--both would be unusual in the
Santa Teresa Hills, although the jays have been seen off and on in the hills
since last fall. The 5-6 singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS seemed low,
considering how much ground I covered. Raptors included NORTHERN HARRIER and
WHITE-TAILED KITE.
At Calero Reservoir there were VERY few waterfowl--they seem to have
dispersed or moved on since the reservoir refilled. A male TRICOLORED
BLACKBIRD was in a mixed flock at the boat ramp.
About old issues of Birdlore--the SCVAS office has them going way back,
but I am not sure how complete their collection is.
John Mariani
email@hidden
www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 18 15:08:48 2000
Subject: [SBB] Cassin's Kingbirds
All,
Today, after the SCVAS field trip to Gilroy Hot Springs Road, Gloria LeBlanc,
Frank Vanslager, Lou ? and I went to the dairy farm near San Felipe Lake
(lots of blackbirds but no Yellow-headed) and then to San Felipe Road where a
"pair" of Cassin's Kingbirds were fly catching in the field of grape vines
east of the road. Still no evidence of any Western Kingbirds? Best bird on
the field trip was a Warbling Vireo (county year bird for most). Most
unusual sight today was of at least 26 feral pigs (including a dozen young)
walking, single file, up a hill on the east side of San Felipe Road north of
Hwy 152. A dead adult feral pig was seen alongside Gilroy Hot Springs Road
between the turnoff for the reservoir and Canada Road.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 3:09 PM, 3/18/00
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From email@hidden Sat Mar 18 21:09:02 2000
Subject: [SBB] Canyon Wren in Alum Rock Park
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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This morning in Alum Rock Park Roland, Shelley and I saw a CANYON WREN =
in the Sycamore Grove picnic area. The wren flew in and out of a large =
cavity in a sycamore tree and spent quite a bit of time singing out in =
the open on the edge of the cavity. To reach the Sycamore Grove picnic =
area from the east end of the east parking lot walk about a quarter mile =
upstream on the Creek Trail on the south side of the creek. Continue =
walking until you reach the junction to the South Rim trail on your =
right, and then look to your left for a sycamore tree with a large =
cavity about twenty feet off the ground.
Take care.
Pat Kenny
=20
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charset="iso-8859-1"
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This morning in Alum Rock Park Roland, =
Shelley and I=20
saw a CANYON WREN in the Sycamore Grove picnic area. The =
wren flew=20
in and out of a large cavity in a sycamore tree and spent quite a bit of =
time=20
singing out in the open on the edge of the cavity. To reach the =
Sycamore=20
Grove picnic area from the east end of the east parking lot walk about a =
quarter=20
mile upstream on the Creek Trail on the south side of the creek. =
Continue=20
walking until you reach the junction to the South Rim trail on your =
right, and=20
then look to your left for a sycamore tree with a large cavity about =
twenty feet=20
off the ground.
Take care.
Pat Kenny
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 19 15:16:26 2000
Subject: [SBB] "My Farm"
The RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was in the largest Euc at La Rinconada
Park--same place seen last time. Today was very "birdy". Had a CALIFORNIA
THRASHER singing away high in a tree and was surprised to see 3 other
CALIFORNIA THRASHER on the ground digging through leaves near it.
Thank you to Grant and Kathy Webb for spending a couple of hours at "my
farm". Also, for posting your bird list. The PURPLE FINCH was new, although
I saw a male one today bathing in the creek.
La Rinconada Park is only 6 acres - so pretty small. I have 79 species seen
- still some obvious ones missing from the list. But, I'm only there a
small part of any given week. If you see a species, not on the hand-out,
I'd appreciate it if you let me know. There must be at least 1 species of
owl there (I've seen whitewash). I go before the LG Park Commission on
April 4 to discuss the results of the 2 month study of having a bird list.
It's averaged about 15 lists taken each week (which surprises me for such a
small park).
Regarding my backyard. Thank you, Mark Miller, for pointing out to me that
I had stated I had Tufted Titmouse nesting in my birdbox. Oops. How about
Oak Titmouse?
Last year I first spied a HOODED ORIOLE on March 22 in my backyard. No sign
of one yet. The WHITE-THROATED SPARROW remains a no show. Daily visits by
both WHITE-AND-GOLDEN CROWNED SPARROWS, PURPLE FINCH. My QUAIL have
returned after a 2 month vacation.
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 Sun Mar 19 16:08:09 2000
Subject: [SBB] Glaucous Gull at Almaden Lake Park
Howdy South-bay-birders,
Today (Sun.), at about 2pm, I saw a first year GLAUCOUS GULL join the gull
flock on the bar at the inflow to Almaden Lake. It was entirely chalk white,
with just a few brown flecks on its wing coverts. It was still there when I
left at about 3pm. Other birds at the park included THAYER'S GULLS,
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, a COOPER'S HAWK, RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and both Myrtle and Audubon's type YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS. No Nutmeg Mannikins today. From the numbers that were flying over
it looks like TURKEY VULTURES are on the move.
John Mariani
email@hidden
www.birdswest.com
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From email@hidden Sun Mar 19 22:26:11 2000
Subject: [SBB] Charleston Slough....
Made a trip to Charleston slough today, between about 4:30PM and 6.
highlights of the day included buffleheads (1 mail, 2 female), 6 of
the black skimmers, ruddy ducks, greater and lesser scaups, one
western grebe (male), barrows goldeneye, canvasbacks, lots of
avocets, some whimbrels, a few Northern Shovelers, black-necked
stilts, gadwalls, a couple of marbled godwits, a couple of cinnamon
teals, and one green-winged teal.
It's definitely spring....
--
--
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 Sun Mar 19 22:53:10 2000
Subject: [SBB] bird/butterfly notes.
Birders:
Here are some San Mateo/Santa Clara bird sightings for the last week or so.
March 11 - Osprey, one soaring high on thermals and heading north straight
over down town Palo Alto. An obvious migrant.
March 11 - Short-eared Owl, one by the model airplane field in Half Moon
Bay. At the foot of Wavecrest Ave.
March 14-16. Nutmeg Mannikin - still coming to the feeder (Half Moon Bay),
but now only one bird, not two. My guess is that its the male and the
female is on a nest somewhere.
March 17- Half Moon Bay Area:
- Brown Pelican - 5+ going north. The first migrants I have seen this
season. Saw some more going north today.
- Rock Sandpiper, two in a flock of Black Turnstones. Base of Redondo Beach
Road. Still in basic plumage.
- Caspian Tern - one, Pillar Point Harbor, my first of the year.
- California Thrasher - one singing at Burleigh Murray State Park in HMB,
not a common bird here.
- Orange-crowned Warbler - 4+ on Territory at Burleigh Murray State Park.
First migrant warblers in there so far.
Butterflies.
- Spring Azure (=Echo BLue), common at Burleigh Murray State Park, HMB.
- Satyr A