Parent
From email@hidden Fri May 01 09:22:19 1998
All,
Since several people expressed interest, an update: the Lazuli Bunting male
is still present, singing throughout the day but much more often in the
early hours. The past couple of days, he's been hanging out in the upper
branches of the tallest black walnut tree in the peninsula of mixed English
and black walnut trees extending off the back of the Community Gardens
fence.
The Hooded Orioles have now constructed a nest, in the lower foliage of one
of the short fan palms in front of the caretaker's mobile home near the
parking lot. So make that at least 5 oriole nests within 100 yards of the
office...!
--Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Fri May 01 13:10:42 1998
Hi:
Today at noon while I was at the GW-Bank in Sunnyvale on El Camino, I saw
two MITRED CONURES fly over the Nob Hill Market to the north to the large
redwood tree behind the medical enter at 301 Old San Francisco Road; nearest
cross-street is Carrol Street. When I left the two were still squawking
loudly in the redwood tree.
Mike Feighner, Sunnyvale, CA, email@hidden (work)
Livermore, CA, email@hidden (home)
Please reply to both addresses above for a quicker response.
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From email@hidden Sat May 02 12:14:57 1998
This morning I birded the drainages on the trail up to Monument Peak.
Generally v. quiet. Best birds were a Chipping Sparrow, a Black-throated
Gray Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Sparrows, 2 Swainson's Thrushes, and the male
Blue Grosbeak in the usual spot.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sat May 02 12:58:01 1998
This morning, 5/2/98, sporadic rains caused us to cancel banding at CCRS.
I checked out the waterbird pond to pass some time. A pair of BLUE-WINGED
TEAL flew into the pond. One CASPIAN TERN was present. Most of the gulls
in a sizeable flock were CALIFORNIA, a few RING-BILLED. One THAYER'S GULL
still in 1st winter plumage and an adult HERRING GULL were in the pond to
the west. Three of the gulls in the main pond appeared to have the same
shape, size and mantle color as the rest of the CAGU, but all had only red
spots on the bill. One had a relatively short bill that was an
orangey-yellow color. The other two had the same color of bill, but the bill size
appeared the same as the other CAGU. The small-billed individual had
grayish-green legs, the longer-billed birds had yellowish-green legs. Does this
seem like normal variance for CAGU?
Many WESTERN SANDPIPERS and a few DUNLIN were present in breeding
plumage. The DOWITCHERS seemed to be LONG-BILLED.
A long stop at the Alviso EEC, failed to produce a good look at the
LITTLE GULL. Mark Eaton got a distant 20 second view of the bird in pond A18.
Then a cloudburst hit, followed by at least half of the flock flying off to
the south. Although, there were alway BONAPARTE'S GULLS on the
easternmost island, we never saw the LIGU in pond A16, but I left a bit after noon.
Hopefully, those who patiently remained were rewarded with a cooperative
bird.
There was an AMERICAN AVOCET with 4 downy young swimming between the
south levee of pond A16 and the island.
Les
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Les Chibana, Mountain View email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sat May 02 17:18:58 1998
At Smith Creek this morning there were BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS singing
every few feet it seemed, also BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE,
CASSIN'S & WARBLING VIREOS, a WILSON'S WARBLER, and (I think) an
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (pip-pip, pip-pip-pip - not the song). I ran into
Bill Bousman there.
I headed further up Mt Hamilton and there was a CHIPPING SPARROW at
milepost 20.64 on Mt Ham Rd, and a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER singing by
the road right next to the 120 incher at the top. Decided to go on over.
2+ LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH between miles 14 and 15 on San Antonio Rd, and 2
LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS right near the entrance to the YL Ranch (just short of
mile 16). At Ruthie's on Mines Rd, no Chat but a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and
a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE. Many WESTERN KINGBIRDS along S A Rd. Excellent
Linguica sandwich and fries drenched in ketchup, washed down by a Dr.
Pepper and topped by a Payday at The Junction. Gotta stay healthy to chase
them birdies.
The flowers were spectacular.
-- Tom Grey Stanford CA email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 16:02:15 1998
On Sunday morning, I spent about 3 hours birding in Sunol Regional
Wilderness. Again I had vitually no interesting migrants, with the best
being a nice male Western Tanager. However, I heard a N. Pygmy Owl hooting.
I tracked the hooting down to the same tree where I had mobbing chickadees
and titmice the week before after following up on some apparent Pygmy Owl
hoots. This time I got good views. I also saw 3 Lazuli Buntings.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 16:07:09 1998
Hi All
Today, husband David and I did some birding in Stevens Creek Co Park.
We had a Townsend's Solitaire along the Fire Lane that starts just past
the ranger station. It was in the large oak on the right side of the
trail where the trail below the damn has been washed out and is closed
by an orange plastic barrier.
This was at 11 A.M.
Failed to locate the Little Gull in Alviso.
Merry Haveman
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 17:16:20 1998
All:
On Thursday (30 April), I saw a GREEN HERON nest with young on an
island in the pond near the Water District office on Almaden
Expwy., and nearby at Almaden Lake Park, I had a small-form,
Aleutian-type CANADA GOOSE. Working on private property nearby,
I had one HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, a female BLACK-THROATED GRAY
WARBLER, and 2 lingering/migrant AUDUBON'S WARBLERS, all of
these birds in a single flock. Two of the three SWAINSON'S
THRUSHES I saw were also with this flock. Also on this property
were 2 VAUX'S SWIFTS, 7 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, and active WESTERN
KINGBIRD and GREAT HORNED OWL nests.
On Friday (1 May), I briefly checked the EEC in Alviso. Just as
I turned the corner at the bend in the entrance road, I saw a group
of more than 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS lift off pond A-18 and begin
flying toward the WPCP. I immediately picked out the unusual first-
spring bird that I saw on 29 April near the EEC. I confirmed
that this bird was the size and shape of the nearby BOGU and that
it had a very (abnormally) broad dark secondary bar, eliminating
the possibility that it was a Little Gull. However, the extensive
black on the outer primaries and extensive, dark brown feathering
on the secondary coverts was unlike anything that a typical BOGU
should show (this bird really stood out among the other first-
year BOGU). These features, coupled with the very broad dark
on the trailing edge of the wing, suggests the possibility of
melanism.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 19:38:44 1998
A quick check of the flooded field SE of Spreckles and Grand on Sunday
evening yielded 2 female Yellow-headed Blackbirds. At least 20
Semi-palmated Plovers and a immature Cooper's Hawk were around too.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 21:43:14 1998
At 04:07 PM 5/3/98 -0700, Merry Haveman wrote:
>Hi All
>Today, husband David and I did some birding in Stevens Creek Co Park.
>We had a Townsend's Solitaire...
A little north of your list area, several of us had a Townsends Solitaire in
San Francisco this morning, at Mt. Davidson, and one was seen there last
week, as well. There appears to be some interesting movement of them
through, as it is a very unusual bird for SF and Santa Clara Cty.
To give this southbay relevance, I also missed the Little Gull, yesterday.
Luke
Luke Cole
San Francisco, CA
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun May 03 23:56:55 1998
At the Montebello preserve on Sunday, along the Canyon trail, there were
several singing PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, WILSON'S,
and ORANGE CROWNED WARBLERS, WARBLING VIREOS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAKS,and a
male/female pair of LAZULI BUNTINGS.
- Dave Lewis
David B. Lewis, M.D.
Division of Immunology and Transplantation Biology, Room H-307
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA 94305-5208
Tel: (650) 498-4189 FAX: (650) 498-6077
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 07:13:29 1998
South Bay Birders,
I have updated the South-Bay-Birders mailing list archive adding the
April messages. Also the answers to April's mystery sparrow photo
quiz are now at my website. Please note the url has changed. The new
address is http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/.
Thanks to further comments from Bill Clark and Matt Heindel I have
revised the "answer" to the March hawk quiz. Further comments on any
of these photos are always welcome. The purpose of these quizzes is
to elucidate the processes we go through in making difficult
identifications. I am much more interested in these processes than in
the "answers" and I've been more than pleased with the results.
This month's quiz includes a spring warbler and a large 1st year gull.
The latter ties in with recent discussion here on ID Frontiers. The
warbler has already elicited divergent opinions.
I have also updated the California Bird Records Committee website at
http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/ adding photos of Lesser Black-backed
Gull, Band-tailed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Zone-tailed Hawk, Reddish
Egret and Tricolored Heron to the photo gallery.
Also the State and the Review Lists have been updated to reflect the
recent addition of Red-legged Kittiwake, Swallow-tailed Gull, and
White-winged Tern.
Comments and feedback are always welcome.
--
Joseph Morlan SF Bay Area birding, Rarity photos, ID quizzes.
380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Pacifica, CA 94044 email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 09:51:48 1998
Folks:
I made a transect on the west side of Mt. Hamilton on Saturday, 5/2/98,
from MP 21.48 just west of the summit at 3860' down to Grant Lake (MP 11.62,
1600'). At the start the black oaks were just starting to leaf out and many
of the blue oaks had not even started to open. By 3000' the black oaks were
well leafed out, but the blue oaks were still delayed even at 2100' at Smiths
Creek. It is one of the latest springs I can recall on Mt. Hamilton. I made
regular stops and looked and listened for migrant flocks, but encountered only
one sizeable group in black oaks at 3000' at MP 18.3. Here I found 4-6
CASSIN'S VIREOS, 2-3 WARBLING VIREOS, 2-3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 6-7
TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS (mostly singing males), and a WILSON'S WARBLER. There
appeared to be good variety of worms to eaten as these birds foraged actively.
As interior range spring migrations go this was pretty ho-hum.
In Hall's Valley I both saw and heard 2 late GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS.
Bill
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 09:59:45 1998
Hi all,
On Saturday May 2, 1998, Greg Schrott, Ed Pandolfino and I (Tom Ryan) made our
big day attempt on behalf of Pomona Valley & Ohlone Audubon Societies. We
ended the day with 173 species. Notable finds include:
Greater White-fronted Goose
Laughing Gull
Elegant Tern
Least Tern
Black Tern
Marbled Murrelet
No. Pygmy Owl
W. Screech Owl
Spotted Owl
American Pipit
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
We began the day at 3:30 am at Robinson Canyon, with numerous GREAT HORNED
OWLS heard throughout the canyon. Also heard were multiple NO. PYGMY OWL, W.
SCREECH OWL, and 1 SPOTTED OWL (roughly 3 mi up canyon just before you climb
out of the canyon, called twice).
>From here we headed for Arroyo Seco for the dawn chorus, here we
heard/observed RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SWIFT (calling within a
roost!), BAND-TAILED PIGEON, numerous WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, LAZULI BUNTING,
PURPLE FINCH, and COMMON MERGANSER.
Traveling down Carmel Valley Rd. we observed WILD TURKEY, YELLOW-BILLED
MAGPIE, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROW, .
Stopping again at Robinson Canyon, we found BROWN CREEPER, WHITE-BREASTED
NUTHATCH, and FOX SPARROW.
At Point Lobos we observed all three species of loon migrating past, as well
as PIGEON GUILLEMOT, COMMON MURRE, MARBLED MURRELET, SOOTY SHEARWATER, and
PYGMY NUTHATCH. Missing several rocky-shoreline birds we headed to Point
Pinos, picking up BLACK TURNSTONE, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER and AMERICAN PIPIT, but
missing both Surfbird and Wandering Tattler. We were then slowed by a flat
tire which we had to change in downtown Monterey. At Fisherman's Wharf we
observed HORNED GREBE, EARED GREBE, RED-NECKED GREBE, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER,
WHIMBREL, and a PIGEON GUILLEMOT attempting to kill a Rock Dove which had
fallen into the water. At the park on the way out of town we observed a
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
Behind schedule, we headed up to Elkhorn Slough. At Jetty Rd. we observed
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, LONG-BILLED CURLEW, RUDDY TURNSTONE and LEAST TERN.
At the wildlife viewing area on the north side of Elkhorn Slough we observed
SNOWY PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, LEAST TERN, and BLACK
TERN. On the south side of the one-lane bridge at Moss Landing we observed a
LAUGHING GULL among a group of CASPIAN TERNS. We had 148 species leaving
Monterey County at 2:30pm.
We then drove to the south bay, observing BLACK SKIMMER at Pond A1 in Mt. View
and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, WOOD DUCK, RED KNOT, GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
VIRGINIA RAIL, and CLAPPER RAIL at the Palo Alto Baylands.
We compiled an excellent mammal list as well, we saw Ring-tailed Cat and
Striped Skunk on Carmel Valley Rd. and a Beaver at Arroyo Seco. The
wildflowers are blooming in Carmel Valley right now. '
If anyone needs more precise directions or more detail, please feel free to
contact me off the listservs at email@hidden.
Good birding,
Tom
********************************************
Tom Ryan
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
P.O. Box 247
1290 Hope St.
Alviso, CA 95002
(408) 946-6548
(408) 946-9279 fax
email@hidden
"While in my own estimation my chief profession is ignorance, yet I sign my
passport applications and my jury evasions as Ornithologist."
- William Beebe
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 10:56:49 1998
Hi all,
Peter LaTourrette and I did our monthly survey on Saturday from
7:15-1:45pm. As usual, Spring takes us quite a bit longer than most
surveys. We missed out on any lingering wintering birds (ignoring numerous
Cedar Waxwings which are still around for awhile longer), so our count ended
up with 55 species for the day. We did get some migrants in the cloudy,
occasionally showery weather, so that was a help. Best birds of the day
included 2 Golden Eagles (still pretty regular up there for us), 4-5 Western
Tanagers, 2 Lazuli Buntings, 1 Cassin's Vireo, and 1 Nashville Warbler. The
Nashville is a good bird for the Ridge and was new to me for there. It is
doubtlessly overlooked as a migrant, but I only know of a few previous
records for there. All the breeding birds are back now: Olive-sided
Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewees, Ash-throated Flycatchers being new
arrivals since our last census on 4/12. We also had 1 Song Sparrow and 1
Wilson's Warbler along riparian habitat of San Francisquito Creek.
Interestingly, we usually get them this time of the year in this location,
but they don't seem to stay to breed at this specific site (or else do so in
very small numbers). A possible Swainson's Thrush didn't pause long enough
for us to be sure of its identity. That was about all. Cheers,
Richard Jeffers
Tandem Computers
P.S. my new email address is email@hidden. The old one will
continue to work for some time.
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 13:19:59 1998
On my Coyote Creek walk at lunch today I heard a few song notes from a
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, so there's at least one lingering here. Two
hummingbirds flying past seemed joined together, as one apparently had a
grip on the tail of the other. One of these birds was a male
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD.
The most exciting part of the walk, however, occurred on the way back,
when I ran into a mother GRAY FOX with 3 kits right along side the
trail. This may very well be the same fox I saw here a couple weeks ago.
The youngsters were quite playful and curious, with a couple of them
approaching me to about 10 feet.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 13:31:01 1998
I took approx. half of my birding class to Mines Rd., Del Valle Regional
Park, and Del Puerto Canyon on Sunday, 5/3/98. The weather was mild to
cool, breezy and cloudy. It only sprinkled on us once.
We saw 76 species with several nice experiences. Highlights:
Murrieta Wells Winery entrance:
- Female WOOD DUCK flying into creek area
- Pair of GREAT HORNED OWLS with 2 fuzzy nestlings
- Pair of HOUSE WRENS claiming a nest cavity near the GHOW
- Pair of WESTERN BLUEBIRDS at nest cavity in a sycamore, chasing off 2
EUROPEAN STARLINGS. At one point, a starling poked its head into the nest
hole then entered the cavity. It didn't remove anything from the cavity and
we couldn't tell if the bluebirds were trying to claim the site,
nest-building or feeding young.
- An active BUSHTIT nest in a roadside weeping willow
Del Valle Regional Park, trail to Hetch Hetchy Cmpgrd:
- In one tree in parking lot, a HAIRY, DOWNY, and NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER
- 2 CASPIAN, 12 FORSTER'S TERNS
- Many vocal RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS
- 2 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES
- 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
- 1 adult BALD EAGLE
Within the 1st few miles south of the road to Del Valle, before Mines Rd.
starts climbing the eastern wall of the valley:
- Lowlight, a freshly roadkilled WESTERN SCREECH-OWL
- An imm. and an adult GOLDEN EAGLE
- A PRAIRIE FALCON that cruised low overhead then landed on a barn. A
brave YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE chased it off.
- A pair of vocal RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS
MP 5.75:
- several singing male LAZULI BUNTING
- A Yellow-shafted NORTHERN FLICKER
- Several PHAINOPEPLA cruising by at eye-level over the canyon.
- One WHITE-THROATED SWIFT
Mines Rd./San Antonio Valley Rd.
- A pair of COMMON MERGANSER (I didn't note the exact location; this was
either in ALA just south of the road to Rancho Los Mochos, or in SCL just
south of county line. The creek crossed from the west to the east side of
the road flowing north, under a sturdy cement bridge.)
- A calling WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE
Cattle guard just north of San Antone Junction Fire Station:
- Marginal views of SAGE SPARROWS in the chamise chaparral
- 1 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
- 2 male, 1 female PHAINOPEPLA visiting a mistletoe-encrusted tree near
the roadside at the edge of a small pond. Good close views but, alas, not a
good photo-op.
San Antonio Valley, YL(?) Ranch entrance:
- 2 LEWIS' WOODPECKERS, one in a nest cavity
- An adult COOPER'S HAWK circling overhead
- A RED-TAILED HAWK diving on a GOLDEN EAGLE
BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and WSTERN BLUEBIRDS were plentiful and the males were
very brightly plumaged. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS were plentiful and vocal.
Flocks of CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen throughout the trip. Single GREEN
HERONS were seen at Del Valle and at a small pond west of San Antonio Valley
Rd., south of the BG bridge. An AMERICAN CROW chased a COMMON RAVEN
carrying something oblong (about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide) in its bill
over the top end of Del Puerto Canyon Rd. It was nice to be able to note the
comparable size, shape, and flight action.
We were not able to find Roadrunners, Costa's Hummingbirds, and
Lawrence's Goldfinch. However, at the inside of the turn on San Antonio Valley Rd.
to the northeast of the Bill Gherli Bridge I did hear goldfinch
vocalizations that were possibly LAGO. I wasn't able to confirm this. And at the
last cluster of cottonwoods along Del Puerto Creek before I-5, a hummingbird
zipped by with a chipping flight call that didn't sound like an Anna's.
This morning up at Skyline Blvd., an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER called near
our house, first for this season in our yard, and new on our yard list.
Oddly, it was calling in a dense, drippy fog from the canopy of mixed
douglas fir and deciduous forest. I'm used to seeing them in dryer settings.
Les
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Les Chibana, Mountain View email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 14:08:47 1998
All:
Early this morning (4 May), I saw two YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS,
a female and a first-year male, on the chain-link fence at
Arzino Ranch near the intersection of Grand, Los Esteros, and
Spreckles in Alviso. The male was singing. A WESTERN KINGBIRD
was on the barbed-wire fence along the railroad tracks extending
out along the horse pasture.
This evening after work, I returned to give the Arzino Ranch area
another look. This time, I missed the YHBL, but I spotted a
CASSIN'S KINGBIRD on the fence with the Western. This bird was
not too far from Los Esteros Road, providing excellent scope
views as it perched on and sallied out from the fence along the
railroad tracks. It's probably worth looking for tomorrow if
someone wants to see this bird without heading to Gilroy.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 18:31:02 1998
Some sad news. The ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD nest in our courtyard has been
predated. After incubating for 15 days, the first egg hatched on Sunday.
Today, she was still incubating the second egg and brooding the first
hatchling. Around 5:00pm she was sitting on the nest. By 5:45 the nest
was empty, except for fragments of egg shell. The nest itself was still
intact and attached firmly to the branch, so I assume that the predator
was avian.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 20:07:54 1998
Hi Birders -
On Saturday, May 2nd, John Sterling, Scott Terrill, Steve Rottenborn and
I (Steve Rovell) competed in the Big Sur Ornithology Lab's 5th Annual
Bird-a-thon. Below is a list of the most noteworthy birds we saw and the
locations of those birds.
Oldsquaw.............................Moss Landing Harbor
Ferruginous Hawk.....................Moonglow Dairy
American Golden Plover...............Moonglow Dairy
Least Tern...........................Moss Landing Harbor
Great-tailed Grackle.................Mission Pond, Fort Hunter-Liggett
Other localized or difficult to get birds during this time of year (or
birds that were just plain difficult for our team on Sarurday) that we
saw/heard are:
Green Heron
Wood Duck
Gree-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Prairie Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
both rails
Common Moorhen
Wandering Tattler
Spotted Sandpiper
Herring Gull
Elegant Tern
Barn Owl
Costa's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Bank Swallow
American Dipper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Phainopepla (we thought these would be harder, but there were lots of
them this year)
Yellow-breasted Chat
Grasshopper Sparrow
Hooded Oriole
I left some birds out that were on private property. If you would like
details for any of the birds on the lists above, e-mail me and I will try
to reply in a timely fashion.
Our route started at 12:00 AM listening for rails and spotlighting birds
on the water at a few north county locations. Well, the spotlight went
out on us, and luckily, my house was along the way to the next stop
without too much of a detour where I pulled out my untested spotlight.
It worked.
Next stop was Robinson Canyon where we got BARN, SPOTTED,
WESTERN-SCREECH, NORTHERN SAW-WHET, NORTHERN PYGMY and GREAT HORNED
OWLS.
We then went to Chews Ridge for the dawn chorus and a shot at FLAMULATED
OWL.......at least we tried to. The lack of scouting time accounted for
us not knowing that the road was extremely slick with mud, evidenced by
the fish-tailing of Scott's Ford Explorer (in low, 4WD). We turned
around and quickly changed our route. Our dawn chorus would have to be
along Nacimiento-Ferguson Road in south county. But we couldn't get
there by dawn, so we lost some valuable time.
Along Nacimiento-Ferguson Road we had GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE at Mission
Pond, RING-NECKED DUCK, 3 COMMON LOONS, SURF SCOTER, COOPER'S HAWK and
WOOD DUCKS at Lower Stoney Reservoir (an inland pond). Further up the
road we had CHIPPING SPARROWS, LARK SPARROWS, WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, lots of
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS and other oak woodland birds and migrants.
Heading east, we missed a BLUE GROSBEAK stakeout, but heard
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and saw PRAIRIE FALCON, BANK SWALLOW, CASSIN'S
KINGBIRD, SAY'S PHOEBE, SAGE SPARROW and BURROWING OWL in different south
county locations.
Heading back north, we got BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON SNIPE and DUNLIN on a pond
near Salinas and HORNED LARKS nearby.
Big Sur was next where we saw PURPLE MARTINS, WILD TURKEYS, VAUX'S
SWIFTS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN DIPPER, WINTER WREN, BROWN
CREEPER. On the way down to Big Sur, we saw PEREGRINE FALCON, OSPREY,
SNOWY PLOVER and John heard a COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD at Bixby Creek.
After getting a stakeout HOODED ORIOLE, we headed to Point Pinos where we
got all the normal rocky shore birds except SURFBIRD. We also had
RED-NECKED GREBE and SOOTY SHEARWATER here.
Heading north, the next stop was Moss Landing where we managed to see the
OLDSQUAW, but didn't see the LAUGHING GULL that others had refound.
There were lots of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in the harbor.
Next stop, Moonglow Dairy. There we saw GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER, our only SPOTTED SANDPIPER of the day, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
WHITE-TAILED KITE and John Sterling saw a FERRUGINOUS HAWK in the
eucalyptus grove that nobody else saw.
Kirby Park proved to be an excellent late stop, as it did last year, with
WHITE-TAILED KITE, singing SAVANNAH SPARROWS and several species of ducks
such as NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREATER SCAUP and NORTHERN
SHOVELER. Another HOODED ORIOLE was heard by all nearby.
A little down the road from Kirby Park was a small pond that we checked
last year for COMMON MOORHEN without luck, but this year we got lucky.
Final stop was the Salinas River Wildlife Area where we had a few more
migrants such as BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, WARBLING VIREO, and
WILSON'S WARBLER in the row of trees near the entrance. We also narrowed
down our earlier Selasphorus hummingbird to ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. At the
freshwater pond at the end of the trail, we saw ELEGANT TERN, HORNED
GREBE (which we had been looking for all day), RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and
more ducks of various sorts. We also got our only HERRING GULL of the
day on the beach, a first summer bird sitting with a small flock way up
the beach.
Our biggest misses were RED-THROATED LOON, RING-BILLED GULL, HAIRY
WOODPECKER and the stakeout BLUE GROSBEAK.
Members of the team saw various mammals including Muskrat, Gray Fox, Gray
Whale and either Common or White-sided Dophins. While scouting, I saw a
Long-tailed Weasel in the south part of the county.
The weather was uncooperative most of the day, but there were some good
moments. I can't remember how many times I took-off and put-on my
sweatshirt. The winds were out of the southeast, blowing any possible
rare seabirds away from shore. Every now and then, we would get a short
shower to dampen things up.
We felt lucky at the end of the day to end with a total of 196 species,
unofficially.
Steve Rovell
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 04 21:11:45 1998
Steve Rottenborn wrote:
>
>On Friday (1 May), I briefly checked the EEC in Alviso. Just as
>I turned the corner at the bend in the entrance road, I saw a group
>of more than 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS lift off pond A-18 and begin
>flying toward the WPCP. I immediately picked out the unusual first-
>spring bird that I saw on 29 April near the EEC. I confirmed
>that this bird was the size and shape of the nearby BOGU and that
>it had a very (abnormally) broad dark secondary bar, eliminating
>the possibility that it was a Little Gull. However, the extensive
>black on the outer primaries and extensive, dark brown feathering
>on the secondary coverts was unlike anything that a typical BOGU
>should show (this bird really stood out among the other first-
>year BOGU). These features, coupled with the very broad dark
>on the trailing edge of the wing, suggests the possibility of
>melanism.
>
There is a description of an immature Little Gull showing exceedingly dark
upperwings in British Birds about 10 years ago. I think there is a sketch
or photo of the bird, they attribute the odd plumage to melanism. At
Niagara Falls in November about 7 years ago some friends and I also saw a
first winter Bonaparte's Gull with exceedingly dark upperwings, similar to
what you describe. I have been looking through my notes to find a
description but I can't seem to find that bird. In hundreds of flying
Bonaparte's Gulls this dark bird stood out like a black sheep. I do not
recall hearing of this type of thing in young 'large' gulls, just the
'hooded' gulls, perhaps they have a propensity to be melanics for some
reason. Nevertheless it appears to be rare as all get out, maybe rarer than
a Little Gull!!
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun
Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country"
California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert.
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Tue May 05 04:12:36 1998
Stanislaus County Big Day Results
April 26, 1998
Harold Reeve, Sherrie Reeve and I started off the early morning with COMMON
POORWILL and NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL (first one I’ve actually seen) as we worked our
way up Del Puerto Canyon. We picked up a few songbirds in the Frank Raines Park
area such as PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WARBLING VIREO, BLUE GRAY GNATCATCHER,
NASHVILLE WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, WILSON’S WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and
WESTERN TANAGER as well as GREEN HERON. Farther up the canyon we picked-up
STELLAR’S JAY, CANYON WREN, and DUSKY FLYCATCHER. On the way out we added HAIRY
WOODPECKER, CALIFORNIA THRASHER, SAGE SPARROW, and COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD.
Then we headed over to the Modesto Sewage Ponds where we found a WILLET,
WILSON’S and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BLUE GROSBEAK, SHARP-SHINNED COOPER’S and
SWAINSON’S HAWKS , and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. As we traveled through Modesto
we saw WHITE-THROATED SWIFT, and GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE.
On the eastern side of the county we stopped first along Davis Rd. and then to
the Turlock Lake Campground. We managed to add some missing waterfowl, OSPREY,
SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and a MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER. A very hectic end to the day
added 2 rails, WHITE-FACED IBIS, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, COMMON SNIPE,
LESSER NIGHTHAWK, AMERICAN BITTERN, BARN, GREAT HORNED, and BURROWING OWL, and
WESTERN SCREECH-OWL for a grand total of 143 species.
Considering we don't have any coniferous forests or salt water/delta habitats,
that's not a bad number.
Jim Gain
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue May 05 11:31:46 1998
Hello All
A pair of ANNA's HUMMINGBIRD nestlings just fledged (yesterday, May4)
from a nest inside Princton Plaza Mall, at Blossom Hill Rd and
Meridian in San Jose.
This is an enclosed mall with many skylights, and does not have doors
to get inside, just wide walkthrough openings for shoppers (and
hummingbirds!) to enter. There are many ornamental trees planted in
containers inside the mall, and the hummer nest was in one of these
trees in the mall, right next to the back door of the store "Tucan
Trader".
Rumor has it that there is another nest, still active, elsewhere in
the mall.
Maybe the mother hummer likes window shopping???
Alan
p.s. this nest was getting so much attention the past few weeks, that
I decided not to advertise it in order to give the birds the best
chance for some peace and quiet! I 'm sure all of you understand.
Unfortunately, at least for me, there was not a good photo
oportunity.
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From email@hidden Tue May 05 12:27:26 1998
On Saturday, 2 May 98, I went down to Ogier Ponds, where the entrance
road is now open again. While standing on the road into the model
airplane park, a group of about 30 male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS flew by
towards the pond. Later I was able to hear this species calling from the
cattails. So this colony may be building from the 2 that Steve had found
earlier. Two alternate-plumaged SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were along rocky bars
in the creek near where it enters the ponds, and a GREEN HERON flew by
this point as well. I had TREE SWALLOWS carrying nesting material into a
cavity in a sycamore, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS carrying nesting
material as well. A couple of CASPIAN TERNS were settled in on an island
in the big pond.
I then drove up to Alviso and took up the vigil with a number of other
people, trying for the Little Gull again. Though it had been seen
earlier, no one saw it while I was there. There were 2 CATTLE EGRETS at
Arzino Ranch, and another flew by on Mallard Slough, seeming to come
from the heronry. A GREEN HERON also flew by at Arzino.
On Sunday, 3 May 98, I went up to Montebello OSP and walked up the back
road towards Black Mountain. I was hoping for a migrant Black Swift or a
calling Mountain Quail, but had neither. A small flock of TOWNSEND’S
WARBLERS had a male HERMIT WARBLER in it. I could hear a RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK calling from down in the Adobe Creek drainage.
I then drove across the valley to Ed Levin Park and hiked up to the
sycamore draw behind Sandy Wool Lake. I saw a recently-fledged young
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD in the field at the start of the trail, and a
female carrying what looked like a fecal sac. Up at the draw a HOUSE
WREN was carrying food, and 3 LAZULI BUNTINGS were singing.
Of note here, though, was the confirmation of breeding by the pair of
BLUE GROSBEAKS. I easily found the male when I arrived, and in a fairly
short time he flew to a weed stalk at a spot off the trail. While
watching, I saw the female come up out of the weeds and join him, before
they flew off. Within minutes the pair returned and the female went in
again at the exact same spot. Over the next 20-30 minutes I watched the
female make a number of trips to this spot. On at least 5 of those trips
she was carrying nesting material, in the form of grass stems or mustard
stalks. The male spent his time mate-guarding, traveling back and forth
with her but carrying no material, nor entering the weeds. This location
was near the main trail about 20 yards past the sycamore draw. If
birders visit the area, please observe from a distance; this species is
rare enough in the county, especially as a nester, that it shouldn’t be
disturbed.
Along the creek trail today, 5 May 98, I found a NUTALL’S WOODPECKER
nest. I was attracted by the begging calls of the young inside and
waited around until the male came by and went in, evidently to feed
them. Also had a WHITE-TAILED KITE carrying nesting material into a live
oak.
Mike Mammoser
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 12:56:22 1998
Recently I have been having a few Hooded Oriole sightings in Milpitas
either on Abbott Avenue just N of Marylinn or on Penitencia just N of
Marylinn. Today I saw a male and 2 females. This same area had Barn Owls
nesting in the Palm trees too a couple of months ago!
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 14:01:12 1998
I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk on my morning commute near the junction
of Agnew and Lafayette (west side of Agnew's complex). The bird was
perched on light pole just south of this junction. I don't recall having
seen this species in this area before. I'm wondering if they are any resident
Red Shoulders on the grounds of Agnew's?
Gina Sheridan
Santa Clara
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 14:04:12 1998
This morning, 6 May 98, as I was leaving for work, I found a pair of
WESTERN TANAGERS (male & female) outside my apartment in urban San Jose
near Campbell. As a migrant, I don't know that they are all that common
on the valley floor. More interesting was that they seemed to be paired;
that is, following each other around and staying close. Do Western
Tanagers pair during migration, or only once they reach their breeding
grounds?
On my creek walk at lunch I found the 3 Gray Fox cubs again, in the
exact same location as a few days ago. I think it's remarkable that a
fox would den up in such a location; with urban residential area across
the creek and fairly heavy human traffic on the trail most days.
I also found 2 more active NUTALL'S WOODPECKER nests. There's also been
WILSON'S WARBLERS along the creek on any given day. I wonder if they are
breeding there.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 14:10:42 1998
I noticed at least three Western Tanagers in trees here at Tandem one day
last week (also on the Valley floor). Their calls attracted my attention.
They seemed to be investigating the new foliage on the planted trees around
the buildings. I've also seen them just outside my apartment off Lawrence
Expressway in the past, so I think they probably occur fairly often in the
lowlands during migration.
Richard
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Mammoser [SMTP:email@hidden]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 1998 2:04 PM
> To: email@hidden
> Subject: birds & things
>
> This morning, 6 May 98, as I was leaving for work, I found a pair of
> WESTERN TANAGERS (male & female) outside my apartment in urban San Jose
> near Campbell. As a migrant, I don't know that they are all that common
> on the valley floor. More interesting was that they seemed to be paired;
> that is, following each other around and staying close. Do Western
> Tanagers pair during migration, or only once they reach their breeding
> grounds?
>
> On my creek walk at lunch I found the 3 Gray Fox cubs again, in the
> exact same location as a few days ago. I think it's remarkable that a
> fox would den up in such a location; with urban residential area across
> the creek and fairly heavy human traffic on the trail most days.
>
> I also found 2 more active NUTALL'S WOODPECKER nests. There's also been
> WILSON'S WARBLERS along the creek on any given day. I wonder if they are
> breeding there.
>
> Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 14:17:06 1998
All,
Taking advantage of the break in the rain, I headed to Stevens Creek
County Park to look for migrants at mid-day today 5/6/98. My first
stop was the Villa Maria Picnic Area and the oaks here once again
produced. A flock of many ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and WILSON'S
WARBLERS contained a singing male HERMIT WARBLER. Also here were a
female WESTERN TANAGER and two WARBLING VIREOS. Not all the OCWA were
migrants, as an adult was feeding a recently fledged young bird there
too. WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS and an immature COOPER'S HAWK foraged
overhead with the swallows. The bridge behind the ranger station had
single singing male YELLOW WARBLER, LAZULI BUNTING, and WESTERN
TANAGER. At the base of the spillway below the dam I was surprised to
find Merry Haveman's TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE still present flycatching in
the clearing along with an alternate-plumaged SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Also
had 3 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS and several OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS in
the area. Lots of breeding activity as well.
On the way back I stopped to scope the Palo Alto Baylands yacht harbor
for shorebirds. No surprises, but a good variety was still present,
with both DOWITCHERS, 6+ WHIMBREL, 1 LONG-BILLED CURLEW, 3+ DUNLIN and
3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS among the many MARBLED GODWITS, WILLETS, and
WESTERN SANDPIPERS. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still present
at the nearby duck pond, looking quite adult-like now.
Shoreline Lake had the immature male BLACK SCOTER (sitting on the
island) among 16 SURF SCOTERS, the RED-NECKED GREBE (mostly
alternate-plumaged now), and 3 HORNED GREBES (including the leucistic
bird). Guess the bad weather has kept these birds from leaving.
Yesterday 5/5/98 I failed to refind Steve's Cassin's Kingbird at
Arzino Ranch, but a worn WESTERN KINGBIRD was working the fenceline,
the adult GOLDEN EAGLE was still on the tower along the EEC entrance
road, and at least 2 CATTLE EGRETS were around.
Mike Rogers
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 14:22:52 1998
All:
Yesterday (5 May), I had 6 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES and a HAIRY WOODPECKER
nest with young below Calero Reservoir. Conducting surveys near
Almaden Lake Park, I saw a male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, 1 SWAINSON'S
THRUSH, 3 WESTERN TANAGERS, and 7 VAUX'S SWIFTS (including a courting
pair). Four COMMON MERGANSERS (1 male) were at Almaden Lake Park,
and 4 more females were upstream along Alamitos Creek. Later, I
checked the Ogier Ponds; the RED-NECKED GREBE was still present,
as were 3 LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES, 8 singing MARSH WRENS (plus three
nests, although they some or all may have been dummy nests), 2
female BUFFLEHEADS, COMMON MOORHENS with young, and 4 SPOTTED
SANDPIPERS.
Today (6 May), while on my way to conduct some surveys around
the Alviso salt ponds, I stopped at CCRS to scope some shorebirds
in one of the WPCP ponds along the road. While here, I heard a
calling BLUE GROSBEAK and soon located the bird (a female) on the
fence near the trailers at CCRS. The bird flew farther north along
the fence, then flew into the overflow channel just north of the
large oak near the trailers. I could tell by the amount of bird
song I was hearing that there were a lot of migrants around, and
a stop by the banding trailer (where they had a HERMIT WARBLER)
confirmed that it was a good migrant day. I then spent the next
1.5 hours working the reveg. area and Coyote Creek just south of
the trailers. During this time, I saw a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
(unbanded -- one was banded several days ago; in the reveg.
area just south of the trailers), a female BLACK-THROATED GRAY
WARBLER, 2 female NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1 male MACGILLIVRAY'S
WARBLER, 110+ WILSON'S WARBLERS (14 in view simultaneously at
one point), 19 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, 7 YELLOW WARBLERS, 1
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, 31 PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, 22 WARBLING
VIREOS, 20 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, and 3 BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS
(1m, 2f).
Farther north, I stopped once to briefly look at the riparian
corridor near the bend in the road north of the trailers. Here
I had a female MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER and 2 AUDUBON'S WARBLERS
(my 9th warbler species of the morning). Two HORNED GREBES and
a CINNAMON TEAL with young were in nearby WPCP ponds.
The CCRS waterbird pond had a first-summer THAYER'S and a second-
summer HERRING GULL, and between South Coyote Slough and pond
A-18, I counted 7 more HERRING, 3 RING-BILLED, 15 WESTERN, and 9
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS among thousands of CALIFORNIAS. Four
broods of CANADA GEESE and two NORTHERN PINTAIL nests with eggs
were also here. Pond A-18 had 280 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 6 HORNED
and 250 EARED GREBES, and a female BUFFLEHEAD, and an alternate-
plumaged SANDERLING was in a small pond near A-18. Ten DOUBLE-
CRESTED CORMORANT nests on three towers in A-18 had birds in
incubating positions, and additional nests were under construction.
After the rain let up, WESTERN KINGBIRDS (which had not been
apparent earlier) began to move, and I counted 11+ in the vicinity
of the WPCP and CCRS in the early afternoon. An ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER was in the riparian corridor along the road south of
the CCRS waterbird pond.
The rainy weather is undoubtedly responsible for the migrant
fallout at CCRS this morning, and conditions may be good for
birding tomorrow morning as well.
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 15:09:22 1998
Gina Sheridan wrote:
>
>I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk on my morning commute near the junction
>of Agnew and Lafayette (west side of Agnew's complex). The bird was
>perched on light pole just south of this junction. I don't recall >having seen this species in this area before. I'm wondering if they are >any resident Red Shoulders on the grounds of Agnew's?
There are probably resident Red-shouldered Hawks along Coyote Creek,
east of Agnews. They like to nest and forage in the riparian corridor,
but probably venture into the adjacent areas as well.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 16:20:16 1998
Les Chibana wrote:
>
> Three of the gulls in the main pond appeared to have the same
> shape, size and mantle color as the rest of the CAGU, but all had only red
> spots on the bill. One had a relatively short bill that was an
> orangey-yellow color. The other two had the same color of bill, but the bill size
> appeared the same as the other CAGU. The small-billed individual had
> grayish-green legs, the longer-billed birds had yellowish-green legs. Does this
> seem like normal variance for CAGU?
Since no one else seems to have commented, I'll give this a quick late
response. Adult California Gulls are amazingly variable with regards to
soft parts (except eyes - this is one of the only large gulls with a
consistent eye color). Although the majority do retain a small amount of
black on the lower mandible during the breeding season, a very small
percentage do lose it entirely. Overall bill color varies from dull
greenish yellow to bright yellow. I have also seen some variation in
bill shape, although it is not striking. Leg color is really fun - it
can be anything from blue-gray though grayish green and greenish yellow
to bright Lesser-Black-backed-Gull yellow.
Bert McKee
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From email@hidden Wed May 06 16:37:56 1998
Mike,
Your theory fits this species profile quite well.
If they were nesting on Agnews proper, I'm sure
that I would see them more frequently.
Gina
At 03:09 PM 5/6/98 -0700, Mike Mammoser wrote:
>Gina Sheridan wrote:
>>
>>I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk on my morning commute near the junction
>>of Agnew and Lafayette (west side of Agnew's complex). The bird was
>>perched on light pole just south of this junction. I don't recall >having
seen this species in this area before. I'm wondering if they are >any
resident Red Shoulders on the grounds of Agnew's?
>
>There are probably resident Red-shouldered Hawks along Coyote Creek,
>east of Agnews. They like to nest and forage in the riparian corridor,
>but probably venture into the adjacent areas as well.
>
>Mike Mammoser
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>
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From email@hidden Thu May 07 09:34:22 1998
South-Bay-Birders:
As of 8:15 AM the TOWNSEND's SOLITAIRE was still present at the base of the
spillway below Steven's Creek Dam in Stevens Creek County Park. John and
Maria Meyer observed the solitaire as well. As I was leaving Frank
Vanslager just arrived. It is amazing that the bird is staying this long.
Hopefully others will get their chance to see it too. There were a number
of other good birds present as well....
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, email@hidden (home)
Sunnyvale, CA, email@hidden (work)
Please reply to both addresses for a quicker response. Thanks.
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From email@hidden Thu May 07 16:22:29 1998
Frank Vanslager and I had excellent looks at the solitaire in Steven's
Creek Park around 11 AM this morning. We were standing at the top of the
hill-trail on the east side of the spillway and the bird was quite active
in the oak almost directly over our heads.
Thanks, Merry!
Jack Cole
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From email@hidden Thu May 07 20:39:50 1998
All,
This morning (May 7) my cat caught a SWAINSON'S THRUSH in the front yard.
First one I have seen this spring.
While walking the dog same morning early, heard several WILSON'S WARBLERS and
a couple more SWAINSON'S THRUSHES. A little wave of migrants in Belmont Hills.
Alas, Thrush that cat caught expired. Cat being punished and confined.
Scchowl-----Paul Noble
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 08:44:59 1998
Marty saw a Great Blue Heron fly out from trees near Stanford
Shopping Center yesterday, so I spent some time this AM looking for a
nest. From the Children's Health Council parking lot, I saw a GBHE
fly into trees closer to the shopping center. Half an hour spent
among the tall eucalyptus along San Francisquito Creek behind other
parts of the health complex didn't turn up a nest, but I think it's
likely that one is there. It's surprisingly quiet back there, and
there was a lot of other bird activity.
If anyone finds the nest, please pass the word to me and/or Tom Ryan
for addition to the SFBBO inventory of Heron & Egret nests.
----------------
George Oetzel
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 10:24:31 1998
Recently someone reported the escape/presence of
an exotic falcon. I may have seen it yesterday. Would
whoever posted that notice please contact me?
- Chris Salander
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 12:10:09 1998
All,
Everyone is invited to the Alviso Environmental Education Center of the S F
Bay National Wildlife Refuge for a celebration of International Migratory
Bird Day from 9-3 Saturday May 9 (yes, tomorrow).
The event is family-oriented with a bunch of bird walks, a bicycle tour,
a nestbox-building activity, bird-banding demo at the nearby Cotyote Creek
Riparian Station, native plant sale, etc., etc. It's free, except for the
nestbox project, for which there is a $5 materials fee if you decide to
keep the box (no fee if it's donated to the SCVAS cavity-nesters recovery
program).
For more information call the SFB-NWR at 262-5513. See you there!
--Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 12:10:14 1998
All,
I have two bird matters to relay on behalf of callers to this office:
1) Janna Pauser called in this morning to report on a family of 3 Great
Horned Owlets that appears to be in big trouble at Gaudalupe Oak Grove Park
in the Almaden Valley area of San Jose. There seems to be only one adult in
attendance and over the past four days of observation, one of the downy
young has disappeared, while the remaining two are high in an oak tree with
one adult which appears not to be feeding them. One of these young appears
to be dead in the crotch of a branch.
The oak is on private land and disking is taking place close by underneath
the tree. Wildlife rescue people have informed Janna there's nothing to be
done unless the young can legally be recovered and taken to the shelter.
She would welcome any further ideas or assistance in monitoring the
situation. You can reach her at .
2) Rudolph Grziwok called from Los Altos and wished to relay a probable
Golden Eagle sighting there this morning at 9:50.
--Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 14:49:52 1998
All,
Hoping that the weather would have downed some migrants, I decided to
head over to CCRS for lunch today 5/8/98. Checking the ponds on the
way in (second pond from the south end) I had the female COMMON
GOLDENEYE that has been present there of late. As I arrived at the
trailers, Al Jaramillo was banding a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. He had
banded a female YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT earlier (perhaps Steve's bird?
but clearly not the one banded on 5/3). Al also said that he'd had a
least 7 WESTERN TANAGERS, of which Nick Lethaby and I heard one. I
birded along the creek for a bit, but the mosquitos were out in force
so I made it quick. Birds of interest included 2-3 WHITE-THROATED
SWIFTS, 7 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 2 male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS,
4 WARBLING VIREOS, 1 singing YELLOW WARBLER, and several WILSON'S
WARBLERS.
Heading back through Alviso I had four WESTERN KINGBIRDS at the Arzino
Ranch before bumping into Steve Rottenborn and Scott Terrill, who were
heading to the EEC. Here we had 4 more WESTERN KINGBIRDS along the
fenceline, 4 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 2 WARBLING VIREOS, 1 TOWNSEND'S
WARBLER, and several WILSON'S WARBLERS (Steve had 10 I believe). A
single LONG-BILLED CURLEW flew over pond A18.
While scoping the tern island in Salt Pond A16 Steve quickly located
the odd (melanistic?) immature BONAPARTE'S GULL. Shortly after
pointing out all the reasons why this bird was indeed only a BOGU
Steve located another bird on the island that appeared smaller than
the odd BOGU. It took off before he could tell us about it, but as
soon as it flew he yelled LITTLE GULL and we all (Bob Hirt had joined
us) got on the first-summer LITTLE GULL (3rd county record). Unlike
the strange BOGU, this bird had bright white secondaries, a complete
very black "M" on the upperparts, and the smaller size and
round-winged buoyant flight of a LITTLE GULL. The bird turned and
flew right in front of us over to Salt Pond A18 and then on towards
the water pollution control plant.
Makes you wonder just how many goodies are in the big BOGU flock down
in Alviso!
Mike Rogers
5/8/98
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From email@hidden Fri May 08 18:08:53 1998
Birders:
As Mike pointed out today we banded a Yellow-breasted Chat and a
Hammond's Flycatcher. During the last week we have banded the following
unusual birds (in no particular order) at CCRS:
Lazuli Bunting - one Friday May 1
Lazuli Bunting - one Sunday May 3
Yellow-breasted Chat - one Sunday May 3
Calliope Hummingbird - one Sunday May 3
Hermit Warbler - one Wednesday May 6
Western Tanager (we don't get many of these) - two today
We have only banded 17 Western Tanagers in the spring ever before, so this
number of two in a day is substantial!
Cliff Swallow (we don't catch many of these) - four today
Also note that today's Yellow-breasted Chat was a female of the western
subspecies and the Hammond's Flycatcher was an adult female (she was
developing a brood patch).
That's off the top of my head, I hope I didn't miss anything. By the
sounds of it, the Little Gulls are so thick in the area tha we may end up
with one in the net soon ;-)
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun
Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country"
California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert.
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Sat May 09 22:32:57 1998
Hello All:
This evening around 1715 hr. there was a male NORTHERN PARULA in the
Sycamores above Sandy Wool Lake in Ed Levin County Park. The bird
first appeared on the top of a smaller tree on the hillside than flew
to the top of the largest Sycamore before dropping down and flying
possibly out of the area. I saw this bird while standing half way up
the hill. Mike Feighner who was with me, but on the trail could not
see the bird from his angle of view.
We both saw a singing male BLUE GROSBEAK about 2/3 up the hill on the
left side of the Sycamores.
Doug Shaw
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun May 10 15:06:01 1998
All:
On 7 May, I checked the EEC in Alviso for migrants, finding 16+
WILSON'S, 4 ORANGE-CROWNED, and 1 YELLOW WARBLERS, 3-4 WARBLING
VIREOS, and 4 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES. A brief check of Arzino Ranch
turned up a BLACK TERN foraging over (and eventually dropping down
into) the horse pasture, and a LITTLE BLUE HERON that flew in from
the west and dropped down into the pasture.
On 8 May, I again checked the EEC with Scott Terrill and Mike
Rogers (Bob Hirt was also there). As Mike has already related, we
were scoping the island in the southeast corner of pond A-16 and
discussing the unusual BONAPARTE'S GULL with extensively dark
primaries and upper-secondary coverts. I moved my attention to
other parts of the pond, and when I moved my scope back to the
island, it landed directly on a bird that caused me some concern.
Its wing pattern (while sitting, that is) looked virtually identical
to that of the unusual Bonaparte's, but the bird had a darker (more
blackish rather than gray), more extensive "cap" than the BOGU and
appeared to have a much smaller bill and a smaller, more rounded head.
I initially thought that I must be hallucinating and that the bird
must be the unusual BOGU (the wings looked that similar), so I
panned to the right to allow comparison of this bird to a nearby
Bonaparte's Gull. Sure enough, this bird was noticeably smaller
than the BOGU, and the differences in bill size and head size/shape
were striking -- the bird was clearly a first-summer LITTLE GULL!
Just as I was getting ready to call the others' attention to it, the
bird flew up, but fortunately it flew very slowly over much of the
island before flying right in front of us and heading to the east
toward the WPCP, giving us excellent views.
On Saturday (9 May), Heather, Rebecca and I went to Vasona County
Park. The ALEUTIAN-type CANADA GOOSE and the ROSS' GOOSE, both
free-flying but apparently resident birds, were begging for handouts
with the other waterfowl (which included two broods of young
CANADA GEESE and two broods of young domestic geese). We rented
a paddle boat, which thrilled Rebecca and enabled us to get
quite close to an alternate-plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE on the lake.
The island here held 2 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON nests (both with
apparently incubating adults), 1 SNOWY EGRET nest (also apparently
incubating), 1 GREAT BLUE HERON nest (with large young; possibly
another GBHE nest here also), and 1 GREEN HERON nest with large
young. Given that we did not approach the island too closely and
that the Arundo was quite dense, there may have been more herons
nesting here. Tom [Ryan], did SFBBO have nesting herons at Vasona
last year? What about the SNEG nesting island at Los Gatos Creek
County Park?
Steve Rottenborn
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From email@hidden Sun May 10 15:47:48 1998
On Saturday morning I spent about 2.5 hours birding at Smith Creek. This
proved to be a complete bust. I found a Cassin's Vireo nest. The only
migrants were about 12 Wilson's and 2 Macgillivray's Warblers, a Swainson's
Thrush, and a WW-pewee.
Sunday morning, I went up to Table Mountain where I had great looks at both
the Pileated Woodpecker and N. Pygmy Owl originally found by Mike Mammoser.
Also around were W. Tanager, RB Nuthatch, 3 vireos, and 6 Purple Finches.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sun May 10 15:55:06 1998
Birders:
I spent the morning of Saturday May 9, 98 conducting surveys at CCRS. The
wind was brisk from the west and it was quite cool. The highlight was
seeing a BLACK TERN which came over the south end of the new revegetation
site (closest to the levee road) and then veered back to the water
pollution control plant ponds from where it had come. This is my first at
CCRS. As well, there were many flocks of CEDAR WAXWING flying over in
groups of 15-30 or so. I probably saw nearly 300 birds in the morning and
oddly enough almost all of the flocks were flying directly to the south!
Reverse migration perhaps? In addition, there were small groups of VAUX'S
SWIFTS flying north at the same time, I probably saw over 25 in about a
half an hour. Don Roberson reported a huge migration of VAUX'S SWIFTS today
and yesterday at Big Sur. We also banded our third YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in
the last 7 day period. This is a very good number of Chats for us, Roberson
also noted a large chat migration at Big Sur. Our YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was
a female of the western subspecies, just like the one this last Friday.
Numbers of migrants were well down from the numbers around on Friday.
It is interesting to think about the fact that the odd birds being seen at
Big Sur at this point are the same ones being seen at CCRS, but that both
of these do not match up to what is going on here on the San Mateo Coast.
It is reasonable to suggest (as others have) that birds flying north in
Monterrey County cut inland, or continue along an inland course, at
Monterrey Bay with some of them flying north along the valley in Santa
Clara, but that few of these fly northwest along the San Mateo coast.
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun
Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country"
California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert.
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Sun May 10 18:50:42 1998
South-Bay-Birders:
Yesterday, Saturday May 9, 1998, I joined Doug Shaw birding both Santa
Clara and Stanislaus Counties. At the east end of Del Puerto Canyon in
Stanislaus County, 1.3 mile west of I-5 we heard a singing GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW. This was further west than mentioned in the previous reports.
The precise area is bordered by a steep dirt road going up the hill from
the road.
We birded the area around Turlock Lake in eastern Stanislaus County
along Davis Road. Here we found nothing noteworthy, but we did notice
an increased number of WESTERN KINGBIRDS.
We were given a tip about a nesting colony of GREAT-TAILED GRACKLES at
Creekside Golf Course in Modesto at the north end of Lincoln Avenue.
Here we had during our brief visit only one male. Look for the grackles
at the reeded pond near the entrance.
Next we birded the Modesto Sewage Ponds off of Jennings Road. Sign in
at the main office to request permission to bird the ponds. Here we had
4-6 WHIMBRELS (no BRISTLE-THIGHED), 3-4 EARED GREBES, about a half dozen
male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMETED PLOVER,
and one RUDDY TURNSTONE. This is the only inland RUDDY TURNSTONE I have
ever seen outside of Santa Clara County.
Next we headed back over the hill into Santa Clara County. On San
Antonio Valley Road, 0.25 mile south of the junction Doug and I found a
nesting pair of LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS which entered a nesting cavity in an
oak tree at the east side of the road.
At Ed Levin County Park Doug and I found one singing male BLUE GROSBEAK
up the hill above the sycamores. I wonder where the other three were
hiding.
Once again I was at the wrong place at the right time. I wish I had
seen Doug's male NORTHERN PARULA. We spent some time trying to relocate
the PARULA without success. Has checked on the spot since then?
Good birding....
--
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, email@hidden (home)
Sunnyvale, CA, email@hidden (work)
Please reply to both addresses above for a quicker response. Thanks.
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 00:56:59 1998
We ended up the International Migratory Bird Day activities in Stanislaus County
with 123 bird species seen over the course of 2 days. Highlights include:
San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge: AMERICAN BITTERN, VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, EMPID SP., BLUE GROSBEAK
Modesto Sewage Ponds:
BLACK TERN, SNOWY PLOVER (2), SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER,
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER (full alternate plmg), YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD,
WHIMBREL, LONG-BILLED CURLEW, FORSTER'S TERN, RUDDY TURNSTONE
Evening west Valley:
LESSER NIGHTHAWK, COMMON POORWILL, BARN OWL, WESTERN SCREECH-OWL
Del Puerto Canyon:
COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD, CANYON WREN, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER,
WESTERN TANAGER, nesting GREEN HERON.
Thanks to all who participated.
Jim Gain
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 08:38:47 1998
Yesterday, May 10, at 6 PM I saw a flock of 6 noisy parrots that flew rapidly
across Rainbow Drive, north through Cupertino. I also heard what must have
been the same loud flock on the preceding day. Does anybody know the story of
these birds?
Frank Vanslager
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 08:40:06 1998
All: About 2:45 Sunday afternoon, May 10, I refound the 'first-summer'
Little Gull on the southeast island of salt pond A16 north of the EEC.
Several other
birders were there (including Al Eisner). It took a while to identify it
(I'd never seen one before, though the others had). It stayed for perhaps 45
minutes. Notes, for those who want to try: It's a bit shorter than the
Bonaparte's, but that's hard to see. Easier: it's thinner, and with a very
small bill. Darker hood than the Bonaparte immatures. Little projection of
the wings beyond the tail. Most obvious: the lower parts of the wing, at
rest, are much blacker. In flight, a conspicuous dark M pattern.
The bird flew slowly over to pond A18.
Thanks, Steve (and Mike and Scott).
Yours, John Meyer
********************************************************************
John W. Meyer, Dept. of Sociology, Stanford U., Stanford, Cal. 94305
email@hidden (650) 723 1868
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 14:37:34 1998
On Friday, 8 May 98, I found 2 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS in the orchard at
the south end of Shady Oaks Park.
On Saturday, 9 May 98, I birded the creek at CCRS in the morning. The
numbers of migrants certainly weren’t at the levels of previous days. I
had 16+ WILSON’S WARBLERS, 2 WARBLING VIREOS, a pair of WESTERN
TANAGERS, 2 WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, 3 SWAINSON’S THRUSHES, and a handful of
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS. A WHITE-THROATED SWIFT was overhead and 6
CEDAR WAXWINGS were about. I also watched a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT being
banded.
On Sunday, 10 May 98, I went to Stevens Creek Park. I found no
Townsend’s Solitaire, but there was plenty of breeding activity. One
AMERICAN ROBIN was building a nest right at the Bay Trees parking lot,
while another pair were prospecting for a site along the creek trail. A
family of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS was foraging through the trees, with
much twittering and chipping going on. The RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nest near
the residence contained fuzzy young. A pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS
was building a nest in an oak near the bottom of the spillway, and
another bird was pulling spider silk off a tree and carrying it upslope
back near the parking lot.
At Shoreline Lake, the immature male BLACK SCOTER was hauled up along
the edge of the island, while the partially albino HORNED GREBE was
still out on the water. Two GREEN HERONS flew by while I was there. On
the island in the corner of salt pond A1 there was quite a bit of
activity. Five BLACK SKIMMERS were just loafing around, showing no signs
of breeding activity. However, the FORSTER’S TERNS looked to be sitting
on nests, the AMERICAN AVOCETS had nests with eggs and precocial young,
and 1 BLACK-NECKED STILT was sitting on a nest.
In the urban area, I had a flock of about 60 CEDAR WAXWINGS over
Mathilda and El Camino, and a pair of AMERICAN CROWS was building a nest
near Shoreline and Middlefield.
On Monday, 11 May 98, a male WESTERN TANAGER was along Coyote Creek
south of Hellyer.
Mike Mammoser
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 17:50:34 1998
This morning I took a quick walk along the Alamitos Creek Trail. Went
from Graystone Lane downstream almost as far as Almaden Lake Park.
Highlights: 1 male COMMON MERGANSER, 1 COOPER'S HAWK, 1 RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK (carrying some small prey item), plenty of PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHERS, 3+ WESTERN KINGBIRDS, 1 WARBLING VIREO, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER
(singing in an unlikely breeding situation, so I presume a migrant), 1
LAZULI BUNTING (singing male at bridge on Graystone Lane), 3 HOODED
ORIOLES, 3+ BULLOCK'S ORIOLES, and PURPLE FINCH.
John Mariani
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 17:58:17 1998
The title pretty well describes my week:
1. 6 pm, Friday, at Montague and Trimble, in San Jose, I
see a PRAIRIE FALCON coast across the Expressway, fly
just over the tops of the cars in my company parking lot,
then it sweeps up the side of one of our buildings, and
when it reaches the top, tips over and drops down behind
the screen around the HVAC equipment. I am working on
trying to get up to that roof to see if there is a nest
or leftover food.
2. Sunday, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, in the top of a tree
in a strip mall at Lawrence Expressway and Titan Ave in
Sunnyvale. (In front of Monitor Express, in the same
row as TOGO's and ComputerWare.)
3. COCKATIELS, flying around and roosting in a Willow Glen
neighborhood two blocks east of Lincoln Ave. One resident
says she has seen as many as four at a time.
- Chris Salander
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From email@hidden Mon May 11 21:06:13 1998
Frank Vanslager wrote: "Yesterday, May 10, at 6 PM I saw a flock of 6
noisy parrots that flew rapidly across Rainbow Drive, north through
Cupertino. I also heard what must have been the same loud flock on the
preceding day. Does anybody know the story of these birds?"
I don't know about these specific parrots but I have seen parrots in
Santa Clara County before. Last time was this past March 20 at about 10
AM, three parrots flew over my condo flying NW. I live close to Central
Expressway/Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View. They were medium sized,
long tailed and very loud. Only color I saw was green. I have heard
parrots fly over this area at least twice before. About 3 years ago I
saw parrots in the trees on the central divider of Lawrence Expressway,
between the El Camino and Monroe St. These parrots were approximately
the same size as the ones that flew over my condo in March.
Has anyone seen any evidence of nesting by parrots in our area?
Ginny
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 04:55:16 1998
On Sunday, I found one singing MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER in the marshy area
near the Yerba Buena Nursery on Langley Road, past the quarry. This
somehow seemed appropriate given the Pacific Northwest-like spring we are
experiencing. Also on Sunday, there was a HOODED ORIOLE along Gerona on the
Stanford campus.
- Dave Lewis
David B. Lewis, M.D.
Division of Immunology and Transplantation Biology, Room H-307
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA 94305-5208
Tel: (650) 498-4189 FAX: (650) 498-6077
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 09:15:34 1998
This morning when driving into CCRS for a (cancelled) banding session, I
did my habitual check of the Bonaparte's Gulls on the sewage lagoons. This
time it finally paid off when I saw a first-summer Little Gull with them. I
assume this is the same bird as at Alviso. It quickly disappeared.
I spent some time checking swallow flocks and turned up a Vaux's Swift, a
Violet-crowned, 3 Tree, and 5 N. Rough-winged Swallows. I also found an
Ash-throated Flycatcher and a Yellow Warbler. There were a few Wilson's
Warblers and Swainson's Thrushes around. I also saw a Spotted Sandpiper on
the Sewage Ponds.
I made a quick check of the flooded pasture at Spreckles/Grand but there
was nothing of note there. A feeding frenzy in the nearby saltmarsh
attracted 25 Forster's Terns and lots of egrets.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 10:09:01 1998
While on our commute Monday morning, Mary and I saw a Great
Blue Heron flying west over Page Mill Road near Skyline
Blvd., about 2200 ft. elevation. A few years ago I saw a GTBH
hunting in the creek below a tall redwood canopy at Heritage
Grove along Alpine Rd., San Mateo County. Strange location!
This morning a single White-throated Swift was seen flying
low next to the El Monte Rd. underpass of Hwy 280. Is this
one of the regular roost (nest?) sites for this species?
Les
==========================================
Les Chibana, Mountain View email@hidden
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 12:01:45 1998
This is out of our area, but I think it interesting. Sunday, for the
second or third time we've again had to stop for gas at a Shell station
on Rte 198 just off Rte 5 - bad planning as their petrol is very
expensive. 198 goes to Hanford & Visalia. Each time, as we roll to a
stop, our car is mobbed by Brewer's Blackbirds who set to work gleaning
squished bugs off the front of the car and the windshield. They
especially like the windshield wipers which seem to collect less
dessicated remains. Once I witnessed a very frustrated female who could
see a juicy morsel on the radiator but couldn't reach it through the
grille.
Lou Young
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 18:58:54 1998
> The Ravens, nesting on the PG&E towers at the Palo Alto
> Baylands, are wiping out the Avocet and Stilt nests on a
> daily basis. Too bad they don't make Raven repellent.
Well, evidently the Raven is repellent to at least one of us!
Seriously, what does the above mean? Surely the Avocets and Stilts are not
re-nesting every day (in time for them to be wiped out again). And it seems
unlikely to me that evolution could have led to a situation in which a single
pair of Ravens wipes out an entire colony unless it is a relatively small one.
Of course, if this is an unnatural habitat for Ravens, due to the artificial
presence of the towers, that could explain such a situation.
Does anyone know (a) how large the colony in question is, and (b) how many
chicks the Ravens take per day? There's obviously some impact, but perhaps
it could be better quantified. Also, I'm curious if anyone knows when the
the Raven chicks in this particular nest hatched.
Cheers, Al
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 19:36:00 1998
The Ravens, nesting on the PG&E towers at the Palo Alto
Baylands, are wiping out the Avocet and Stilt nests on a
daily basis. Too bad they don't make Raven repellent.
Deborah Bartens
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 20:19:58 1998
Are not ravens the incarnation of Satan? I would be careful about making
disparaging remarks about ravens.
It would seem to me that the avocet and stilts that have too obvious a nest
are the ones most likely to be predated. However, if any bird is capable of
depopulating a colony of stilts, the raven is.
Paul L. Noble----Scchowl
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 21:11:16 1998
At 11:19 PM 5/12/98 EDT, ScchOwl wrote:
>Are not ravens the incarnation of Satan? I would be careful about making
>disparaging remarks about ravens.
>It would seem to me that the avocet and stilts that have too obvious a nest
>are the ones most likely to be predated. However, if any bird is capable of
>depopulating a colony of stilts, the raven is.
>
I would say that there is no such thing as a stilt or avocet nest that is
not obvious, especially from above. My guess is that the nests on the
periphery of a colony are the first to go as predators here will not be
mobbed by as large a number of parents than the ones that try to go for the
middle.
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun
Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country"
California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert.
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Tue May 12 21:17:11 1998
Just home from a couple of weeks traveling and was bemoaning the dreary
birds feeding in my backyard--MODO, house finch, calif towhee, you get the
picture...when a male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK arrived to feed and was
followed 15 minutes later by a male WESTERN TANAGER!!! That's the first
time I've had one of those in my backyard. so, guess in spite of this
dismal weather, being a birder can have its exciting moments....Gloria
LeBlanc (Los Gatos near Quito)
http://www.lgsia.com and http://www.wallstreetgifts.com
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 14:12:51 1998
All,
At 10:30 this morning Frank Vanslager and I had an adult alternate plumage
Franklin's Gull in the CCRS waterbird pond. Shortly after 10:45 AM the bird
flew, unobserved, from the pond while we were moving to the west side of the
pond in hopes of getting a better look at the bird. The bird appeared to be
about the same size as a Bonaparte's Gull (Frank thought that it was somewhat
larger than the BOGU) and was much smaller than any of the other gulls in the
pond. The front portion of the black hood (the forehead and throat) still had
a few light feathers showing. Bold white eye crescents covered the back
portion of the eyes. The back and wings were about the same shade of gray as
that of nearby adult California Gulls (much darker than BOGU). The wingtips
were black with three white "windows" and a white tip. A white band was
visible at the base of the black on the wingtip. The tips of the secondaries
and primaries were white. The neck, chest, belly, tail, undertail and
uppertail coverts were white. Under certain viewing angles the upper chest
showed a very faint pinkish tinge. The bill was black with an overall reddish
tint and a dark red tip. The bill looked somewhat longer and more massive
than that of BOGUs, which we had just seen near the CCRS trailers. The legs
were also black with a reddish tint. The FRGU did not fly on two occasions
when most of the gulls near it flew but it did ultimately fly away when most
of the other gulls did not? Access to CCRS is restricted to members.
Take care,
Bob Reiling, 1:57 PM, 5/13/98
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 15:19:35 1998
This afternoon, about 1:00, I saw a red-tailed hawk feeding a chick in
north Santa Clara. The nest is on a power tower and has been occupied
for several weeks, but this was the first time I observed an adult
standing at the nest. The chick (or chicks) was not visible, but the
adult was definitely feeding him/herself and at least one youngster. The
power tower is a few hundred feet north of Agnew Road at Lakeshore Drive,
near the West Agnews Campus.
Jan Hintermeister
email@hidden
Santa Clara, CA
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 16:26:33 1998
On last three mornings, I have seen a Burrowing Owl perched on a billboard
just north of the Agnew/Lafayette junction in northside Santa Clara. This is
located in a large field on the west end of the Agnews campus.
Gina Sheridan
Santa Clara
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 19:05:32 1998
Birders:
This morning I drove up to the Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve in Santa
Clara County following up on some earlier reports of a PILEATED WOODPECKER
on Table Mountain.
At about 11:30 AM a female PILEATED WOODPECKER flew to a nest hole on Table
Mountain just about 100 yards down the right branch in the trail at the east
end of Table Mountain.
Directions are as follows:
>From the town of Saratoga in Santa Clara County take Highway 9 west to
Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd). Turn right (north) and drive 1.2 miles to MP
15.47 and park. Take the trail (east) down the hill from here to a junction
in the trail (0.28 mile) and take the trail to the left (north) 1.59 miles
to the Pileated Woodpecker site. As I said there is a branch in the trail.
Take the trail on the right for about 100 yards. There is a 25-foot dead
pine on the left that is broken off at the top. Near the top is the
PILEATED's horizontally oblong nest hole to which the female PILEATED flew.
Across from the tree I piled up some logs and sticks.
>From the north a MOUNTAIN QUAIL was calling. CASSIN'S VIREO, HUTTON's
VIREO, and WARBLING VIREO were all present along with ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER, AMERICAN ROBIN, DARK-EYED JUNCO, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER,
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and STELLER'S JAY.
Many of the trees on Table Mountain have died. I thought it was from our
earlier drought years, or was it a serious fungus? Mostly the pines were
affected, and many have been cut down. Some new pines are spouting. Also,
there are a few COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE which apparently were planted.
Mike Feighner, Sunnyvale, CA, email@hidden (work)
Livermore, CA, email@hidden (home)
Please reply to both addresses above for a quicker response.
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 21:22:04 1998
Birders:
While others were finding Franklin's Gulls in the area we were busy
during quite a productive day for banding. The highlight was another
Yellow-breasted Chat, a new arrival and in this case it was a male. There
were also two McGillvray's Warblers, a male and a female. Swainson's
Thrushes were everywhere, they have taken over from the Wilson's Warblers
in terms of abundance.
Diane Kodama and I could not find the Franklin's Gull after we had finished
banding, there were no gulls at the Waterbird pond at all later on in the
day. Also no luck with the Little Gull.
Al
Alvaro Jaramillo "It was almost a pity, to see the sun
Half Moon Bay, shining constantly over so useless a country"
California Darwin, regarding the Atacama desert.
email@hidden
Helm guide to the New World Blackbirds, Birding in Chile and more, at:
http://www.sirius.com/~alvaro
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 22:24:31 1998
Every morning I walk through Murdock Park in west San Jose. This park
has houses on 2 sides, Saratoga Creek on the third, and a school on the
fourth. This morning, in addition to the usual 8 species, two male
Yellow Warblers were singing (I only saw one female), the tardy flock of
Waxwings was down to 12 from 15, a male Bullock's Oriole was serenading
a female, the Hooded Orioles have moved to a different palm tree from
the one they (or their ancestors) have used for 21 years, the resident
Nuttall's Woodpeckers seem to be feeding young but I haven't found their
new nest, and Anna's Hummingbirds were very busy. The resident Black
Phoebes were hiding (probably hunting over Saratoga Creek). Two new
birds showed up - the first Pacific Slope Flycatcher I've seen in the
park, and a Black-chinned Hummingbird. The flycatcher was notable
because his underparts were very yellow. He was silent and very busy
flying out from the top of a eucalytus tree. Black-chinned Hummers are
not common in the neighborhood, and this one obligingly perched for me.
Lou Young
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From email@hidden Wed May 13 22:28:20 1998
All,
Noting the abundance of Swainson Thrushes at CCRS, I have noticed more in the
neighborhood here in Belmont than ever. Heard one this morning when it was
barely light enough to see.( Cat was on the bed, luckily) First I heard a
strange chatter call from the bird before it sang a muted song. Anyone else
seeing and hearing Swainsons Thrushes around this week? I think this year
with the dismal weather this May has grounded many Swainson Thrushes that
usually fly right over and on north. Probably has grounded other migrants as
well. Any significant increases at CCRS noteworthy? Just some rambling
thoughts.
Paul L. Noble---Scchowl
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 04:11:21 1998
Birders:
On Tuesday, I saw a flock of about 8 Aratinga parakeets bombing through
just west of the intersection of Stelling and Homestead on the
Sunnyvale/Cupertino border. A friend of mine has told me that she a flock
near the Donut Wheel in Cupertino on DeAnza Boulevard. Don't know the
variety although size fit Mitred and they looked all dark (of course, what
wouldn't since it was raining). Has anyone else seen parakeets near this
area?
Jim Danzenbaker
San Jose, CA
408-264-7582 (408-ANI-SKUA)
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 08:23:28 1998
Greetings!
I live at the corner of Homestead and Blaney and I frequently hear the
parakeets and occasionally see them flying over the intersection. They
spend a fair amount of time in the trees on the north side of Homestead
Road between Blaney and Blue Jay, usually in the late afternoon.
Others have identified these as Mitred Parakeets.
Julie Bryson
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 10:27:09 1998
> ----------
> From: Peter LaTourrette[SMTP:email@hidden]
> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 1998 10:56 AM
> To: ScchOwl
> Cc: email@hidden
> Subject: Re: Swainson thrushes
>
> At 01:28 AM 5/14/98 EDT, ScchOwl wrote:
> >All,
> >
> >Noting the abundance of Swainson Thrushes at CCRS, I have noticed more in
> the
> >neighborhood here in Belmont than ever. Heard one this morning when it
> was
> >barely light enough to see.( Cat was on the bed, luckily) First I heard a
> >strange chatter call from the bird before it sang a muted song. Anyone
> else
> >seeing and hearing Swainsons Thrushes around this week?
>
> Had one in our yard (Los Altos) yesterday morning. Unusual for here.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Peter LaTourrette
> Bird photos: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
> Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/
> Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/
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>
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 10:54:26 1998
Sick of parrot sightings yet?! Just had 4 parrots fly past my office
window in Mtn. View (Church and Castro Sts.). Bodies (inc. wings)
looked uniform green, long pointed tails. No binoculars, no bird books,
no ID....
I have never seen parrots in this location before and have been at this
office 4+ years.
Claire Wolfe
Claire Wolfe
DFI/Aeronomics
Mtn. View, CA
email@hidden-aeronomics
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 10:56:32 1998
At 01:28 AM 5/14/98 EDT, ScchOwl wrote:
>All,
>
>Noting the abundance of Swainson Thrushes at CCRS, I have noticed more in the
>neighborhood here in Belmont than ever. Heard one this morning when it was
>barely light enough to see.( Cat was on the bed, luckily) First I heard a
>strange chatter call from the bird before it sang a muted song. Anyone else
>seeing and hearing Swainsons Thrushes around this week?
Had one in our yard (Los Altos) yesterday morning. Unusual for here.
---------------------------------------------------------
Peter LaTourrette
Bird photos: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~petelat1/
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society: http://www.scvas.org/
Western Field Ornithologists: http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 14:51:46 1998
All,
Dave Cook, leader of the SCVAS Field Trip this coming Saturday, has asked
me to relay the news that the trip has been moved to the main parking lot
of Grant Ranch County Park, due to the fact that Alum Rock is still closed
to the public as a result of storm damage.
The trip is still a half day adventure and still begins at 8:30 AM.Please
help spread the word...Thanks!
--Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 15:24:18 1998
All,
6 HOUSE WREN chicks are the newest addition to the SCVAS nestbox results
this season at McClellan; they are about halfway to fledging.
Four WESTERN BLUEBIRDS fledged from another of our boxes this morning (saw
adults feeding them in the box at 7PM last evening, but now attending them
in cottonwoods along the nature trail about 1/8 mile from the parking lot).
These young are readily identifiable by their prominent white eye rings and
spotted breasts. They are being tended by 3 adult bluebirds, 2 males as
well as the female (a second female was taken by a raptor, most likely
Red-shouldered Hawk, at the beginning of the nesting season).
The WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES are still feeding their fledglings at our
suet feeder but the adult pair were observed today carrying new nest
material into the box they used earlier this season. Ehrlich et al. in the
Birder's Handbook say this species has "1?" brood/season, but this is the
second season I've suspected this pair of going for two. Any other opinions
or experiences??
BLACK PHOEBES are tending fledglings outside the nest throughout the park
in at least 2 family groups. HOUSE FINCH young are everywhere. Two
NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER families are bringing their young to the suet feeder
and there is quite a lineup at times! CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE fledglings
joined them just yesterday.
8 OAK TITMICE may well have fledged today from the box by the front office
window.
Can't wait for the crowd of Orioles at the feeders when the swarm of
BULLOCK'S parents bring their young by - should be a couple-three weeks
yet. There are at least 3 HOODED ORIOLE nests in the park now in 2 separate
fan palms a good ways apart - do they build dummy or other multiple nests
per pair, or are there really more than the one pair I think I've been
observing?
More later...
Garth Harwood
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From email@hidden Thu May 14 17:31:47 1998
Coyote Creek south of Hellyer has had some interesting bird activity
lately. NUTALL'S WOODPECKERS are thick as thieves. I found 2 more active
nests, bringing the total to 5 for a stretch of the creek that's less
than a mile long, with 3 of them being clumped fairly close together.
This morning a male WESTERN TANAGER was singing. WILSON'S WARBLERS are
around, and I'm interested in seeing if they're still here after
migration. I'm still seeing a male WOOD DUCK, and I wonder if the female
is sitting on a nest somewhere. A pair of BELTED KINGFISHERS keep
carrying food to a certain area along the creek. There is a steep bank
here with a potential nest hole in it. The entrance area is worn smooth,
with 2 little ruts where the shuffling feet would be, and there are claw
marks in the mud outside the entrance. However, the birds have been much
too wary to go to the burrow with me nearby.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Fri May 15 14:36:44 1998
I forgot to mention that yesterday, 14 May 98, I had a GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW along Coyote Creek south of hellyer.
Mike Mammoser
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From email@hidden Sun May 17 18:42:53 1998
At 4:45 PM Sunday, I observed a White-tailed Kite eating prey (not
identified) while sitting on Merlie's tree near Peter Coutts Road.
The location of Merlie's tree is documented on Merlie's Home Page at:
South Bay Birders Unlimited (SBBU)
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/
Kendric
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From email@hidden Sun May 17 20:51:41 1998
Due to windy conditions I abandoned plans to bird Loma Prieta or Smith
Creek. On Saturday, I birded CCRS. Prolonged checking of the large Cliff
Swallow flocks turned up 7+ Vaux's and 2+ White-throated Swifts, but
nothing rarer. I saw/heard 10 Swainson's Thrushes - for the first time ever
at CCRS I actually got good views of 3. I also saw 4 W. Tanagers, and
several each of Wilson's and Yellow Warblers. The banding station had both
MacGillivray's Warbler and W. Tanager in the hand when I arrived. Also a
male Black-chinned Hummer in the reveg zone. Nothing on the shorebird pond.
Sunday was spent in a futile attempt to see the Bristle-thighed Curlew at
Pt Reyes. Luckily I'd seen one before.
Nick Lethaby
Director of Business Development
Elanix, Inc.
Tel: 408 941 0223
Fax: 408 941 0984
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From email@hidden Sun May 17 21:16:35 1998
South Bay Birders,
This morning I took my ornithology class to the Alviso Environmental
Center. About 10:30 I found the immature Little Gull on the narrow
island with Forster's Terns. We got good scope views until the bird
flew over to the pond to the east (A18?) after which we could not find
it.
About 11:30 an adult Little Blue Heron flew over New Chicago Marsh
while we were exploring the boardwalk. It disappeared behind the
levee to the north. We had two flyover Cattle Egret sightings
possibly of the same bird flying back and forth between Arzino Ranch
and the heronry.
Landbird migrants included several Western Kingbirds, Bullock's
Orioles, a Western Tanager, Swainson's Thrush, Yellow Warblers,
Wilson's Warblers, Warbling Vireo and Western Wood-Pewee. Most of
these species are not on the checklist posted at the center. However,
the checklist lists two sightings if Tricolored Heron, one in late
February and the other in early March. Are these for real? Anybody
know who saw it?
Another interesting sighting posted by somebody for today was Least
Tern which we did not see. I think that bird notice board might be
more useful if there was a column for people to leave their names.
These anonymous reports are frustrating.
Before the trip I stopped briefly at Shoreline Lake and saw an albino
grebe of some sort. It was sleeping and I didn't have time to try to
id it.
I had good luck this afternoon in Marin County. I arrived about 4pm
with my son and the Bristle-thighed Curlew was there. I watched it
for about 45 minutes until it flew off to the south. This was my
second Bristle-thighed Curlew. I made the trip up to Crescent City on
Friday for the one there.
--
Joseph Morlan California birding, Rarity photos, ID quizzes.
380 Talbot Ave. #206 http://ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/
Pacifica, CA 94044 email@hidden
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From email@hidden Sun May 17 23:15:53 1998
I spent Sat AM (5/16) at the two parks checking nests and young
from the respective lake shores with a spotting scope, following up
previous reports by Steve Rottenborn.
At Vasona, the nests are on the small island near the dam. The Great
Blue Heron nest has 3 large chicks. Steve suggested there might be a
second GBHE nest; I saw nothing to suggest another. I found one young
Black Crowned Night Heron, but was unable to find the second nest that
Steve saw. One large young Green Heron was poking around on the
ground; the adult flew by my just as I arrived at the end of the
trail. I saw Snowy Egrets fly into two different locations, so suspect
two nests. I couldn't actually see the nests.
On the large island between the bridges, I didn't find nests, but
there was a flock of about 30 Cedar Waxwings in the trees.
At Los Gatos Creek, there are now 4 Snowy Egret nests, 3 with
incubating adults and one with chicks. The 2 Green Heron nests that
Steve reported on April 23 might have chicks by now. I didn't find
them, but they can be hard to spot in the thicket.
On first arrival at Los Gatos Creek, the adult SNEG was attending the
3 chicks. I made a tour of the other ponds to see if there was
anything else of interest. When I came back, I again set up the scope
to look at the island and found a Double Crested Cormorant by the
nest. One of the chicks was pecking vigorously at it, and it backed
off. It stood near the nest for awhile longer, then flew away. At that
time, I was only able to spot 2 chicks. The third may have been
hidden in the nest, or the cormorant may have taken it. After the
cormorant was repulsed, the 2 chicks I could see settled down on the
nest where they became barely visible.
George Oetzel
or
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From email@hidden Sun May 17 23:15:53 1998
Feeder-watching at this time of year is especially rewarding, as
the antics of numerous baby birds are quite entertaining. And, every
now and then, there's a surprise migrant, as at 9 AM today (5/16).
The white edges on the tail caught my attention. We haven't seen a
Junco in the yard for more than a month. When the bird landed on the
ground just a few feet from the window, I saw that it was a sparrow,
so scrambled for binocs and book. It hopped around on the ground at
minimum binoc range, sometimes less, for 3 or 4 minutes. Plenty of
time for good looks and comparison with Peterson's. No question about
it, a Vesper Sparrow.
It's been a good year for cavity nesters. Two weeks ago, the Oak
Titmouse parents lined up their 4 youngsters on a branch for
afternoon sun and a snack. The Chestnut-Backed Chickadees haven't
put the family on display like that. There are at least 2
youngsters, tho. White Breasted Nuthatches from the oak tree next
door are busily feeding their 3 new hatchlings our "Berry Patch"
suet.
Open nesters seem not to have done as well, except for the ever
prolific MODOs. We saw Scrub Jays flying regularly to a nest high in
the viburnum bushes. The flights stopped abruptly, and we've seen no
young jays. I haven't spotted any newly fledged House Finches yet,
and I'm not sure about the Lesser Goldfinches. They're eating like
they are supporting nests, and there are a few that are basically
just grey -- no yellow or green. Might these be fledglings?
Unfortunately, we have more Cowbirds this year than I've ever seen
before. They're visiting in small noisy flocks.
George Oetzel
or
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 09:13:55 1998
Hello Everyone,
The following birds of interest were seen on the SCVAS Field Trip to the
Baylands on Sunday, May 17:
Four breeding-plumaged RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in the Palo Alto FCB
An albino HORNED GREBE at Shoreline Lake
Five BLACK SKIMMERS on the island at the SE corner of Salt Pond A2W north
of Shoreline Park
That's it for now - Ann Verdi
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 09:21:40 1998
Swift watchers,
On May 12, Les Chibana wrote:
"This morning a single White-throated Swift was seen flying
low next to the El Monte Rd. underpass of Hwy 280. Is this
one of the regular roost (nest?) sites for this species?"
For 20 years I have traveled under that overpass to and from work at
Foothill College. For as long as I can remember there has been swift
nesting activity at this site. Wish I had kept accurate records, but I
didn't.
Ginny Becchine
email@hidden
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 10:16:12 1998
Regarding Cowbird predadation...
My brother who was visiting from LA this weekend tels me that biologists
down there are beginning to aproach the problem of Cowbirds (and Swans)
by shaking the eggs and thereby killing the embryo. The cowbirds will
leave a nest alone that has a cowbird egg and, in this way, the
predadation is controlled.
I was wondering if this method is known and in use by biologists in
northern California?
tnx
ks
> Feeder-watching at this time of year is especially rewarding, as
> the antics of numerous baby birds are quite entertaining. And, every
> now and then, there's a surprise migrant, as at 9 AM today (5/16).
>
[...]
>
> Unfortunately, we have more Cowbirds this year than I've ever seen
> before. They're visiting in small noisy flocks.
>
> George Oetzel
> or
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 10:22:02 1998
REPLY Re: Vesper Sparrow in Menlo Park
By the way, cowbirds do brood parasitism, not predation.
Les
kschmahl wrote:
>Regarding Cowbird predadation...
>My brother who was visiting from LA this weekend tels me that biologists
>down there are beginning to aproach the problem of Cowbirds (and Swans)
>by shaking the eggs and thereby killing the embryo. The cowbirds will
>leave a nest alone that has a cowbird egg and, in this way, the >predadation is controlled. >
>I was wondering if this method is known and in use by biologists in
>northern California?
>
>tnx
>ks
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 10:39:25 1998
thank you for the correction. I wasn't sure of the term phrase.
Heck, I wasn't sure of the spelling either :)
(and, yes, I can see the difference now that its in front of me)
:^>
tnx
ks
> REPLY Re: Vesper Sparrow in Menlo Park
> By the way, cowbirds do brood parasitism, not predation.
>
> Les
>
> kschmahl wrote:
> >Regarding Cowbird predadation...
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 11:04:58 1998
I just got a new backyard bird....a chicken!!! I am unaware of any neighbor
having one...am clueless where it could have come from!!!! Maybe God wanted
to provide some humor in my day since I just sold and moved my portfolios
to half cash!
Gloria LeBlanc
http://www.lgsia.com and http://www.wallstreetgifts.com
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 11:40:58 1998
Hello All:
On Sunday (5/17) between 10:15 and 3:15 I hiked the Pileated Woodpecker
area. I went down using the mountain bike trail, and back via the foot
trail. On the way down, I encountered a small warbler flock containing 2
TOWNSEND WARBLERS (one singing male and one female) and 1 HERMIT WARBLER (a
female). The flock was at the junction to the private residence. There was
a good general variety of birds all the way down. Once at the site, it was
rather quiet. At 12:45, I heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER trumpet well off to
the north.
Steve Miller
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 11:53:45 1998
On May 18, 11:40am, Miller, Steve E wrote:
> Subject: Table Mountain
Steve's message prompts me to report my experience here on Saturday
in the late morning.
It was lightly raining off and on as I walked this trail carrying
my 2 year-old in a backpack. I had relatively few birds on the way
down, but at Table mountain found lots of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS
and a mixed flock containing TOWNSEND WARBLERS and SOLITARY VIREOS
in the oaks below the pile of sticks at the woodpeckers nest.
I too, heard PILEATED WOODPECKER but never saw any.
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Paul Stevens Silicon Graphics
email@hidden Mountain View, CA
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From email@hidden Mon May 18 12:57:04 1998
Hi south-bay-birders,
We finally got our Pileated Woodpecker lifer after missing twice in Butano,
once in Big Basin and once in North Carolina in the three years since we
started birding.
We left Skyline on foot at 8:20am Sunday the 17th (gorgeous weather, ay?),
arriving at the hollow nesting tree at 10:20am, birding all the way. No
visual woodpecker activity at first, but we heard distant calls during the
final ten minutes or so approaching the tree. Ate our brunch, Sharon napped
in the sun, awoke. As we were listening, we heard a single loud "kuck" a
little further up the trail - different from the Steller Jays. "Did you hear
that?" we whispered. It was about noon. We followed the sound, and off of a
tree flew a large mostly black bird with a red head - brilliant in the sun.
It looked amazingly like a kingfisher in profile as it flew, and circled the
nest tree at about a 70 yard radius, calling loudly, then landed again. It
flew below the treetop line, so we had to anticipate its flight path some of
the time to see it re-emerge. We saw it fly and land several more times, and
finally identified it as a female. Then we heard calls coming from another
direction and so suspected that it was a pair.
As we were loading up to leave, our attention was attracted by the noise of
some passing mountain bikers on the other arm of the 'Y'. In the meantime and
unseen by us, both male and female quietly landed on the tree, one on either
side of the nesthole. Just as we looked back up, the male flew off to the
north with a loud call, and the female popped into the hole, not to be seen
again