From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Mon Apr 19 14:42:07 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i3JLYbH2000444 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 19 Apr 2004 14:34:39 -0700 (PDT) Received: from rtjones.nas.nasa.gov (rtjones.nas.nasa.gov [129.99.19.30]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i3JHcoAg023734 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 19 Apr 2004 10:38:51 -0700 (PDT) Received: from rtjones.nas.nasa.gov (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by rtjones.nas.nasa.gov (SGI-8.12.5/8.12.5/NAS-6n) with ESMTP id i3JHclmu099752 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 19 Apr 2004 10:38:47 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from mrogers@localhost) by rtjones.nas.nasa.gov (SGI-8.12.5/8.12.5/Submit) id i3JHclEQ099456 for [[email protected]]; Mon, 19 Apr 2004 10:38:47 -0700 (PDT) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 10:38:47 -0700 (PDT) From: "Dr. Michael M. Rogers" <[[email protected]]> Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> To: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] 4/17/04 Big Day: SWHA & LALO 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, On Saturday 4/17/04, Barry Langdon-Lassagne, Irene and Bob Beardsley, Jean Myers, Bob Nansen, and I (the Varied Twitchers) started our SCVAS Big Day at the Mountain View Forebay just before 4:00am. After getting both SORA and VIRGINIA RAILS to respond to a tape, and catching sight of a calling BARN OWL overhead, we were off to the Monte Bello Open Space Preserve for owling. We met Mike Mammoser and his friend Chris, who had already started hiking in before us. The owls were fairly cooperative, with 7+ WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS, 3+ GREAT HORNED OWLS, and a single NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL being heard, along with at least 2 COMMON POORWILLS. The dawn chorus began about 6:00am, and we began to rapidly add new species to our list, including PILEATED WOODPECKER, first heard at 6:35am. The trail to Black Mountain netted nice looks at a singing male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, the day's only COOPER'S HAWK, and heard-only RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER. Heading further down the Canyon Trail, we added PYGMY NUTHATCH, WINTER WREN, BROWN CREEPER, and HAIRY WOODPECKER. We turned around at the same clearing as last year - and it was alive with birds, including several WESTERN TANAGERS, a male HERMIT WARBLER among several TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS, and a singing HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER perched out in the open for over a minute (this bird also gave its diagnostic call note when it flew off). On our hike back to the cars we heard a singing LAZULI BUNTING and again heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER. It began to rain as we headed down to Palo Alto. A quick stop at the I280 overpass over Page Mill Road netted low-flying WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS among the swallows. Driving south on I280 it rained hard, but by the time we arrived at Stevens Creek County Park it had cleared. The parking lot at the Villa Maria Picnic Area was full with "Team in Training" participants running and biking, however. Nonetheless we added several new species here and at the nearby Chestnut Picnic Area, including DOWNY WOODPECKER, HOUSE WREN, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, and a silent OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. The biggest surprise, however, was a hawk pointed out by Jean at 10:20am - a northbound SWAINSON'S HAWK. This bird followed the high tension lines north in a steady glide, burning minimal energy on its northbound journey. Incredibly, a second SWAINSON'S HAWK was found doing the same thing while scanning swallows and swifts from the lower parking area 45 minutes later! Surprises at the reservoir included an EARED GREBE, 2 FORSTER'S TERNS, and 2 female-plumaged COMMON MERGANSERS; the reservoir inlet held 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS and a GREEN HERON. The AMERICAN DIPPER cooperated for all of us above Camp Costanoan and we quickly added a HOODED ORIOLE from the palms along Palm Avenue off Foothill Blvd. Once again it rained while we were in transit, this time to Shoreline Lake. Looping around the Mountain View Forebay we added 40 new species, reaching 130 species just after 2:00pm. Shoreline Lake had 7 SURF SCOTERS, 1 COMMON GOLDENEYE, and several breeding-plumaged WILLETS and GREATER YELLOWLEGS, as well as a GREEN HERON that flew past us several times. Salt Pond A1 had EARED and WESTERN GREBES and distant BLACK SKIMMERS on the island in the southeast corner. Later at least 17 skimmers flew into the island in Charleston Slough. A TREE SWALLOW was peering out of its nest box along southern pond A1. Many shorebirds were roosting in Charleston Slough and Adobe Creek, including at least 4 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. The day's only CANVASBACK was swimming far out on Charleston Slough, AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS soared overhead, and 3 CASPIAN TERNS winged their way north. The Palo Alto Flood Control Basin added more ducks, the best being a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL. A stop at Geng Road failed to add anything new, but the old Palo Alto yacht harbor basin added LONG-BILLED CURLEW, WHIMBREL, DUNLIN, and BONAPARTE'S GULL (82). Numerous other shorebirds, including many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, were here as well. An adult GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL swam in the harbor and more were across the street at the Palo Alto duck pond, which also held WESTERN GULLS and 3 female GREATER SCAUP among the more numerous LESSER SCAUP. Out close to the bay we picked up SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER and our first WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (many GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen at a number of locations). We rushed to Alviso and started birding at the EEC. New species still continued to turn up, including 2 first-summer HERRING GULLS on the island in pond A16 (along with 110 EARED GREBES and 186 BONAPARTE'S GULLS) and a pair of LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES. Driving to the Arzino Ranch we added BURROWING OWL, WESTERN KINGBIRD, and RING-NECKED PHEASANT. The day's first AMERICAN KESTREL finally showed up in downtown Milpitas as we made our way to Ed Levin Park. Shortly thereafter we found the day's only RED-SHOULDERED HAWK atop a eucalyptus at the Vista Ridge Drive gate. We again checked the WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS overhead but failed to locate any Vaux's Swifts. Parking north of Sandy Wool Lake, we enjoyed scope views of a territorial male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. A CASPIAN TERN cruised over the lake before we began our ascent to Sycamore Gulch. A pair of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES foraging in the mustard flew off with a third bird that was likely also of this species. We got nice looks at one of two GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS above the green gate (species number 150!), found a single RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW at the sycamores, and (finally!) enjoyed an immature GOLDEN EAGLE as we returned to the parking lot. A quick stop at the Spring Valley parking area resulted in a singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, a pair of HOODED ORIOLES, and the nesting GREAT HORNED OWLS. Heading up to Calaveras Reservoir we added BUFFLEHEAD from the pond between Calaveras and Felter Roads and a group of 5 WILD TURKEYS further up the road. Irene picked out 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS at Calaveras Reservoir and Bob N. located the day's only WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (species number 155) at our second stop for this species. We drove back to Felter Road, mourning the loss of access to Marsh Road, enjoyed a courting WILD TURKEY at the Covo Ranch, and made our way to Sierra Road, where a CALIFORNIA THRASHER scampered across the road as we turned west along the north rim of Alum Rock Canyon. The Sierra Road summit produced the desired HORNED LARKS (4), but no pipits or Lark Sparrows. A single GRASSHOPPER SPARROW sang once. As we waited for more Horned Larks, Barry called our attention to a bird drinking at the drying up pond near the cattle pens - it was an adult male breeding-plumaged LAPLAND LONGSPUR (10th county record)! Although our wintering Chestnut-collared Longspur flock remained this late in 1994, this species has not been found in the county after early February; whether it wintered up here undetected or stopped by on the way north from southern California is anyone's guess. The descent down Sierra Road added another WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW among many GOLDEN-CROWNEDs and a couple of heard-only male SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRDS. A last ditch effort to find more species at CCFS failed, but a nocturnal check of Byxbee Park turned up our last species of the day BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (#158), as well as more SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and at least one more BARN OWL. All in all a great day, with minimal rain problems and some great birds! If anyone is interested in a spreadsheet of our entire list of 158 species and where they were seen let me know and I'll send you a copy. Mike Rogers _______________________________________________ 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]]