From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Mon May 26 16:44:50 2003 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h4QNh0aA018579 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 26 May 2003 16:43:00 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mta4.rcsntx.swbell.net (mta4.rcsntx.swbell.net [151.164.30.28]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id h4QNfrfF018542 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 26 May 2003 16:41:54 -0700 (PDT) Received: from KrisDesktop (adsl-64-169-18-243.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net [64.169.18.243]) by mta4.rcsntx.swbell.net (8.12.9/8.12.3) with ESMTP id h4QNfpsX020556 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 26 May 2003 18:41:52 -0500 (CDT) From: "Kris Olson" <[[email protected]]> To: "'South Bay Birders'" <[[email protected]]> Date: Mon, 26 May 2003 16:41:48 -0700 Message-ID: <04ef01c323e0$60103ff0$6501a8c0@KrisDesktop> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Importance: Normal Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by plaidworks.com id h4QNfrfF018542 Subject: [SBB] Mt. Hamilton - Junction to Mines Rd. 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]] Hello All: I got an early start today to see some of the birds around the Junction of San Antonio Valley Rd and Del Puerto Canyon Rd. I loosely followed Mike Mammoser's route from May 18, 2002 (driving over Mt Hamilton). Thanks, Mike. My goal, however, was to drive straight to the Sage Sparrow spot without many stops. I made two quick stops before I got to the Junction. [1] I checked the first pullout east of the summit for the Black-Chinned Sparrow that Mike Mammoser found last year at that spot (May 18), but no luck. All was quiet on the Eastern front at 7am. [2] I stopped briefly for LEWIS's WOODPECKERS around mile 13.5. There were 2 in the first big dead snag on the right hand side. Also BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and LESSER GOLDFINCHES. [3] Next stop was the SAGE SPARROW at the famous cattle guard just north of the Junction in San Antonio Valley. Success! I arrived at 8am, lots of singing birds, but no Sage Sparrows that I could detect. Finally at 8:25am, a new sound began, and I was able to track down the singer. Another Sage Sparrow seemed to answer him from afar, but once the first one dropped down and stopped signing, I heard no more Sage Sparrows. I had also stopped briefly at a couple of places on the drive out and heard no Sage Sparrows along the way. Present at the cattle guard was one pair each of flycatching PHAINOPEPLAS and WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, a single ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER calling steadily, a WESTERN KINGBIRD, and a singing CALIFORNIA THRASHER. The fence along the road was busy! [4] Back at the firehouse, I found two male LAWRENCE GOLDFINCHES. Across the street at the Junction were 2 ANNA HUMMINGBIRDS and one CHIPPING SPARROW calling persistently and loudly. There was also a pair of BLACK PHOEBES. I decided to drive out via Mines Road. Every stop I made had calling and whistling BULLOCK'S ORIOLES and singing WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, until I hit Alameda County, when they both seemed to disappear. On the Santa Clara side, I encountered only HOUSE WRENS; once I hit Alameda, I encountered only BEWICKS WRENS. [?] ACORN WOODPECKERS, OAK TITMICE and CALIFORNIA QUAIL were everywhere. I found one WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE en route, and several more WESTERN KINGBIRDS and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS. There were still lovely wildflowers in the area. In both Santa Clara and Alameda I found several KILLDEER along the creek. [5] The most interesting stop in Alameda County (just before milepost 1282, which I think translates to 12.82) produced a singing RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW. There were lots of rocks around, a steep hillside going down to the creek, lots of sage and some oaks by the road. [6] An earlier stop, by 21000 Mines Rd [mile marker 1680], had (I think) a singing Yellow Warbler. Lots of Willows and a flooded grassy field by the creek. [7] I took 84 home, and was thrilled to see 10-20 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS around the intersection of 84 and 280. I know they are in Alameda County, but they were great! After I got home, I found this comprehensive list of Mines Rd. birds created by Arthur Edwards of Livermore. It is on Joe Morlan's web site. Elsewhere on Joe's site is a more up-to-date list of birds around Livermore, including part of Santa Clara County. Here is the Mine's Road link: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/ala1.htm And, when I pulled in my driveway in Menlo Park, our local White-breasted Nuthatch was at the peanut feeder. It proceeded to eat while I unloaded the car within a few feet of it. It has gotten used to our comings and goings! Recently it has been feeding 3 young. Kris Olson _______________________________________________ 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]]