From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Sat Apr 3 16:27:17 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i340O6An028061 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 3 Apr 2004 16:24:06 -0800 (PST) Received: from flavatown.mail.pas.earthlink.net (flavatown.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.148]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i340N4pJ028015 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 3 Apr 2004 16:23:05 -0800 (PST) Received: from conure.mail.pas.earthlink.net (conure.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.54]) by flavatown.mail.pas.earthlink.net (8.11.7+Sun/8.11.6) with ESMTP id i33NRfE26253 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 3 Apr 2004 15:27:41 -0800 (PST) Received: from user-38lc0df.dialup.mindspring.com ([209.86.1.175]) by conure.mail.pas.earthlink.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 1B9uXL-0004jr-00 for [[email protected]]; Sat, 03 Apr 2004 15:26:51 -0800 Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v609) To: [[email protected]] Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> From: Matthew Dodder <[[email protected]]> Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2004 15:30:39 -0800 X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.609) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5b1 Subject: [SBB] Stevens Creek Park 04-03-04 X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5b1 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]] All, My Palo Alto Adult School birding group made its first trip to Stevens Creek this spring and our expectations were high for colorful spring arrivals. We began in the north parking lot, touring the riparian woodland with its many flowering cottonwoods, then moving through the darker oak, bay laurel and tanoak woodland and finally up toward the reservoir where coyote bush was in abundance before returning the way we came. Sound was the main focus of the day, and bird songs could be heard at every turn, giving us ample opportunity to compare some confusingly similar vocalizations. The three trillers of the day, Dark-eyed Junco, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and WILSON'S WARBLER were all heard in rapid succession and I think everyone was able to hear the subtle differences between them. As well, Purple Finch and House Finch were singing in the same area and a few among us were able to pick them out as well. The happy up-and-down song of both WARBLING VIREO and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK were heard in a few locations and by the end of the day they too were quite familiar to our group. We managed to get views at all of these birds eventually, but it was satisfying to identify them by sound first so we would know what to look for. Overhead, we had a dramatic display by a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks and a conflict between a Cooper's Hawk and a Turkey Vulture. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was also seen by some members of the group. We did well on Piciformes, logging five species all together including the similar Downy and Hairy Woodpecker pair. Our first OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER of the season and several PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS were located near the lower bathrooms and Ranger Station. Only one BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was located by sight, but several were heard. As we emerged from the shelter of the riparian woodland and began our short climb to the reservoir, we had great looks at a curious Wrentit, a male Belted Kingfisher perching on a wire 100' above the valley floor and heard a California Thrasher singing loudly in the chaparral. There was little activity on the water save several Double-crested Cormorants wearing their breeding plumes and a motionless Black-crowned Night Heron. The recent Osprey was not relocated. The modest list is below. Enjoy your weekend, Matthew Dodder http://www.birdguy.net Double-crested Cormorant Black-crowned Night Heron Mallard Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel California Quail (heard only) Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Anna's Hummingbird Belted Kingfisher Acorn Woodpecker Nuttall's Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Olive-sided Flycatcher Pacific-slope Flycatcher Black Phoebe Tree Swallow Violet-green Swallow Steller's Jay Western Scrub Jay American Crow Common Raven Chestnut-backed Chickadee Oak Titmouse Bushtit White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Bewick's Wren American Robin Wrentit California Thrasher (heard only) Cedar Waxwing European Starling Hutton's Vireo (heard only) Warbling Vireo Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's and Myrtle forms) Townsend's Warbler Wilson's Warbler Black-headed Grosbeak Spotted Towhee California Towhee Song Sparrow (heard only) Dark-eyed Junco Bullock's Oriole Purple Finch (heard only) House Finch American Goldfinch (heard only) --end _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. 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