From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Tue Dec 24 18:27:20 2002 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.2/8.12.2) with ESMTP id gBP2PtoI029843 for <[[email protected]]>; Tue, 24 Dec 2002 18:25:55 -0800 (PST) Received: from snipe.mail.pas.earthlink.net (snipe.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.62]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.2/8.12.2) with ESMTP id gBP2PBwO029808 for <[[email protected]]>; Tue, 24 Dec 2002 18:25:11 -0800 (PST) Received: from user-2ivfl16.dialup.mindspring.com ([165.247.212.38] helo=kirstennt) by snipe.mail.pas.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 18R1EK-0005UY-00 for [[email protected]]; Tue, 24 Dec 2002 18:25:09 -0800 From: "Kirsten R. Holmquist" <[[email protected]]> To: "South Bay Birds" <[[email protected]]> Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2002 18:25:44 -0800 Message-ID: <[[email protected]]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001B_01C2AB79.DF9C2520" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Importance: Normal X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: <[[email protected]]> X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1b4+ Subject: [SBB] Eurasian Wigeon, Clapper Rail at Palo Alto Baylands X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b4+ Precedence: list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C2AB79.DF9C2520 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I spent several hours wandering around the Palo Alto Baylands today. The tide was high and things were generally pretty quiet but it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. In Coast Casey Forebay, a crowd of 33+ BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS inhabited the reeds. One of them flew down to float on the water alongside some NORTHERN SHOVELERS for a few minutes, looking like a really long-bodied, black-capped duck. The majority were clustered around the opening in the middle of the reeds. This opening seemed to have been beaten larger by the recent storms. A couple of SNOWY EGRETS were there with them. On the forebay opposite Shoreline, I got a good mix of sparrows: 15+ WHITE-CROWNED, a couple SONG, a LINCOLN'S, and in the pines was a FOX. On Shoreline Lake, a couple WESTERN GREBES were joined by about a dozen COMMON GOLDENEYE, half a dozen SURF SCOTERS, a couple HORNED GREBES, an EARED GREBE, a couple PIED-BILLED GREBES, and some RUDDYS, CANVASBACKS and Scaup. A DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was a late comer. A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was foraging near the dock for awhile. A WHITE-TAILED KITE was perched in the top of a pine on one side of the lake and a RED-TAILED HAWK got chased off by gulls from the top of a pine on the other side. Walking towards Adobe Creek now, I picked up a couple of SAVANNAH SPARROWS but no Skimmers today. A male BUFFLEHEAD was chasing a female around in the water of the Forebay. Adobe Creek looked pretty beaten down by the storms as well. At least a dozen CINNAMON TEAL were hanging out along the sides of the creek. A single, juvenile COMMON MOORHEN was paddling in the creek along with half a dozen SCAUP (they appeared to all be GREATER). The male EURASIAN WIGEON continued there and was sleeping on the opposite side of the creek in with some AMERICAN WIGEONS. I stopped at Ponds A&B next were I failed to locate Blue-winged Teal. 20+ GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS were in the trail between the ponds. A GREAT EGRET failed to budge even though I got within 30'. A MARSH WREN gave teasing flits as it chittered from the reeds. A male COMMON YELLOWTHROAT showed off his brilliant colors for a few seconds before dropping down. A number of CINNAMON TEAL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL were evident but no Blue-Winged. Oh well. Again, beaten down seemed to be the description that came to mind. I could look way out over the marsh unimpeded and see a couple of NORTHERN HARRIERS hunting over the marsh (both appeared to be female). My last stop was at the Nature Center. The water was high but I decided to try for a Hail Mary attempt at Clapper Rail. A male NORTHERN HARRIER flew away just as I got out of my car. Next to the Center, I mixed flock of shorebirds included AMERICAN AVOCETS, BLACK-NECKED STILTS, WILLETS, DOWITCHERS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and LEAST SANDPIPERS. A WHITE-TAILED KITE kited over the marsh. A juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER flew in and perched on the disused portion of the boardwalk for a few minutes. The water was very high at rail alley so I wasn't optimistic. A LONG-BILLED CURLEW flew by overhead. But, just as I was about to leave, what should come floating out into the channel but a CLAPPER RAIL. It was moving away from the boardwalk and moving in and out of the marsh plants as it went along. What a nice holiday gift! Best Regards, Kirsten R. Holmquist [[email protected]] ------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C2AB79.DF9C2520 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]] ------=_NextPart_000_001B_01C2AB79.DF9C2520--