From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Sat May 17 22:55:46 2003 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h4I5rYa3029383 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 17 May 2003 22:53:34 -0700 (PDT) Received: from flamingo.mail.pas.earthlink.net (flamingo.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.232]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h4I5qOfF029345 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 17 May 2003 22:52:24 -0700 (PDT) Received: from user-2ivfj3k.dialup.mindspring.com ([165.247.204.116] helo=kirstennt) by flamingo.mail.pas.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 19HH5p-0001En-00 for [[email protected]]; Sat, 17 May 2003 22:52:21 -0700 From: "Kirsten R. Holmquist" <[[email protected]]> To: "South Bay Birds" <[[email protected]]> Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 22:50:15 -0700 Message-ID: <[[email protected]]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_001D_01C31CC6.AEAA13F0" 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 2.1.2+ Subject: [SBB] SCVAS Alum Rock Park Trip X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.2+ Precedence: list List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Unsubscribe: , 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_001D_01C31CC6.AEAA13F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It was a beautiful day at Alum Rock for the SCVAS field trip. We started out with a bang at the parking lot with several BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. A WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE was hanging out near the bathrooms. Our first WHITE-TAILED KITE of the day flew into the top of a tree for good scope views. As we started up the trail, a HOUSE WREN perched on a dry stick and sang its little heart out. Continuing up the trail, we quickly picked up a singing SPOTTED TOWHEE, a CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, a male ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, a WRENTIT, a couple of LESSER GOLDFINCH, and a couple CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES. Still fairly low on the hill, we were pleased to encounter a young male LAZULI BUNTING well out on top of a bush and singing continuously. The top of its head was a bit orangish and the top of the shoulders was greyish. A couple of bikers stopped to appreciate the lovely spectacle as well. A CALIFORNIA THRASHER was heard singing downhill. A rock outcropping yielded a group of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS zooming around it. A nearby oak tree had our first OAK TITMICE of the day as well as a couple of BUSHTITS. A WHITE-THROATED SWIFT grabbed everyone's attention by twinkling by directly overhead. A couple of TURKEY VULTURES soared over the creek. At a bend of the road, a displaying male WILD TURKEY presided over a group of 5+. The group made its way up the hillside when it became apparent that they had a baby with them. A group of 20 or more BUSHTITS made their way through the shurbbery. A pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS were kiting over the ridge. Farther on, a group of three COOPER'S HAWKS all circled in the air in close association. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER made an appearance and then a NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER right above the flycatcher. A family of four WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES worked their way across a large old oak. A large RED-TAILED HAWK did its lumbering best to kite over the ridge. A baby WESTERN SCRUB-JAY burst from a bush only to disappear into another, followed closely by mom. A EUROPEAN STARLING stood on top a broken off palm, below which a couple of ACORN WOODPECKERS were busy. While looking at a beautiful male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE in a nearby tree, a PURPLE FINCH changed places with it. A few BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flew by overhead. A SONG SPARROW sang from a tree overhanging the wash by the trail. A male CALIFORNIA QUAIL stood lookout in a oak in front of a large stand of poison oak. A HERMIT THRUSH made a brief appearance for a few at the head of the party. At the top of the trail, we had another singing male LAZULI BUNTING and a family of BEWICK'S WRENS. Starting back down the hill, a pair of nesting HOUSE WRENS were busy carrying material and food into a hole in a large branch. Farther on, we came across a hillside that had at least half a dozen RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS cavorting. They were flying back and forth across the whole length of the hillside, never perching for very long. This behavior, while fascinating, prevented good scope looks...except by those operating scopes. :-) The last bit of hillside yielded a male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. Chipping nearby was a female LAZULI BUNTING. A female-type BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK flew into a trail-side shrub. For a number in the party, this was the first non-adult-male they had seen, thrilling to see the tremendous differences in coloration. A DARK-EYED JUNCO was shuffling about in the sage. Starting the creek walk back to the cars, we stopped on the bridge. A NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW perched on the top of a light post. The light hit just right on its back to bring out the glossy in its deep rich brown. A BLACK PHOEBE flew from the top of a nearby tree. As we approached the bathrooms, we discovered a female WESTERN TANAGER was hanging out with a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK. An AMERICAN ROBIN was only our second thrush of the day. A BROWN CREEPER foraged its way up a tree trunk immediately above a tolerant family from the Ozarks who were interested in knowing about the STELLAR'S JAY also in the vicinity. Our final bird of the day was a BARN OWL camped out for the day in the cliff face just before the parking lot. Best Regards, Kirsten R. Holmquist [[email protected]] ------=_NextPart_000_001D_01C31CC6.AEAA13F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline _______________________________________________ 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_001D_01C31CC6.AEAA13F0--