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Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 12:46:04 -0700
From: "Don Ganton" <[[email protected]]>
To: "South Bay Birds Mailing List" <[[email protected]]>
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Hi,

I got out to Coyote Creek Field Station at about 7:30 this morning to look
for the pair of Blue Grosbeaks. I found them just past Transect G on the
entrance side of the lower levee road. Initially, I flushed the male and
female. After a few minutes, the male flew up to a tree and gave me great
looks while he swished and flicked his tail around. I saw him once more
after that, but did not see the female again. In addition to the Grosbeaks,
I saw Bullock's Orioles, a Downey Woodpecker and an Ash-throated
Flycatcher, among others.

Don Ganton
[[email protected]]

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From: "Kirsten R. Holmquist" <[[email protected]]>
To: "South Bay Birds" <[[email protected]]>
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 16:36:03 -0700
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Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek County Park Audubon trip - Sat June 22
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The Audubon trip to Stevens Creek turned out to be a fruitful one today.  We
started off with an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and a female AMERICAN KESTREL
right at the parking lot (along with a couple of WESTERN SCRUB-JAYS and
MOURNING DOVES).  We proceeded down to the nearby Chestnut picnic area where
we picked up both BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and a male HOODED ORIOLE.  Our first
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE of the day made an appearance at the bridge.  A
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD perched at the top of a snag across the creek from the
picnic area, while an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK perched in a large pine at
the top of the ridge flanking the bathrooms.  Everyone got great scope views
of both but which do you think they were most impressed with? :-)

As we passed the bathrooms, we saw what appeared to be a still maturing male
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK.  The color scheme seemed washed out and ill-defined
and the cap did not seem to be as extensive as usual.  Our first ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRD of the day flitted about in the trees near the bathrooms.  A
STELLER'S JAY made enough noise to ensure it wasn't ignored.  An
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER next crossed the path in front of us but didn't stick
around to chat.  A GREAT EGRET flew by overhead looking a little ratty.
Several small flocks of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS went by overhead as well.

We took the footpath that winds around into the park and eventually ends up
at the Villa Maria picnic area.  Once we were past the short wooded section
and back in relative open, a couple BARN SWALLOWS zoomed overhead.  A few
lucky people in the back of the train found an adult WILSON'S WARBLER trying
to gather food for three hungry fledglings.  A band of BUSHTITS bustled
around the bushes surrounding the path.  A family of WRENTITS also flitted
around in the same general area.  A SONG SPARROW sang but popped up too
briefly for most to see.  A BEWICK'S WREN dropped briefly down into the path
in front of us a ways and then back up into the bushes.  As we came to the
meadow area overlooked by a large bluff, we came across VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS and perhaps a NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED as well.

As we proceeded up the bluff where we came upon a male CALIFORNIA QUAIL
dutifully standing sentry.  An AMERICAN CROW flew by.  Near the top, we
picked up what appeared to be an immature, male AMERICAN KESTREL.  He had
the orange back and blue wings but the dots on the breast were small and
few, the striping on his face was light and indistinct, and most of the top
of his head and back of his neck was white with color spots just starting to
come in.  Can you say "cute as a button" about a predator?  Across the way
on another ridge, a RED-TAILED HAWK was perched on top of a large bush.  A
male NORTHERN "RED-SHAFTED" FLICKER landed in a close-in snag.  Most
everyone got good looks before it dropped down and away.  A PURPLE FINCH was
heard singing but we never found it.  At least one DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
flew by overhead.

Entering the Villa Maria area, we got a brief look at a HUTTON'S VIREO.  A
brazen NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER had lunch on a fallen stump right at the trail
head.  Families of DARK-EYED "OREGON" JUNCOS browsed near the picnic tables.
An OAK TITMOUSE hung around with them.  A BLACK PHOEBE moved restlessly
between ground and bench across from the horseshoe area.  Actually, in the
horseshoe plots, a couple of male HOUSE FINCHES (one orange, one red)
foraged.  An immature, male WESTERN BLUEBIRD fluttered around the fence
posts.  LESSER GOLDFINCHES were seen in the walnut trees but no Blue-Gray
Gnatcatchers (our biggest miss for the day).  A couple ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHERS were also busy in the walnut trees.  A female NORTHERN
"RED-SHAFTED" FLICKER perched on of the dead snags at the end of the walnut
grove.  On the way back along the grove, we had first a PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER, then a WESTERN WOOD-PEEWEE, then finally an OLIVE-SIDED
FLYCATCHER.  All in all, a good day for flycatchers.  Nearby the OLIVE-SIDED
was a female ACORN WOODPECKER.

Making our way down the hill from Villa Maria, we saw our first SPOTTED
TOWHEE of the day (note: not the first heard by any stretch of the
imagination).  Most of stayed to check out the Ranger Station.  The first
thing we heard as we walked toward the station was a CASSIN'S VIREO calling.
Unfortunately, we were unable to locate the bird.  We did locate a singing
WARBLING VIREO.  Everyone who stayed to loiter at the station got very good
looks at this bird.  We also got a BROWN CREEPER doing its best to reduce
the insect population on a large cottonwood tree not 15 feet away from us.
A DOWNY WOODPECKER preened happily for the scopes while a BELTED KINGFISHER
flashed by on its way down the river (more heard than seen).  A BLACK PHOEBE
gave us close up looks fluttering around a near by picnic table.

We rounded up a few of the usual suspects on the way back to the parking
lot:  TURKEY VULTURE, AMERICAN ROBIN, and CALIFORNIA TOWHEE.  Note:  I had
seen a couple of MALLARDS splash down in the creek before most people
arrived.  Altogether, we had something like 50 species make an appearance.
Not a bad day.


Different location/day:

As a side note, I took a small boat trip with my family into Elkhorn Slough
on the 19th.  A couple of birds stood out.  At one dock, BROWN PELICANS
perched along with DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and nesting BRANDT'S
CORMORANTS.  Nearby in the water, a DOUBLE-CRESTED, BRANDT'S, and PELAGIC
CORMORANT swam side-by-side for easy comparison.  On one shoreline, we came
across a PACIFIC LOON just sitting on the shore next to the water.  A few
other notables:  a couple of HEERMANN'S GULLS in breeding/alternate plumage,
WESTERN GULLS with downy young, and a flock of 10+ WESTERN GREBES.

Best Wishes,

Kirsten R. Holmquist
Sunnyvale, CA

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