From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Wed Dec 8 22:33:46 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iB96V2lI025139 for <[[email protected]]>; Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:31:03 -0800 (PST) Received: from hotmail.com (bay4-dav10.bay4.hotmail.com [65.54.170.114]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iB96UEYK025098 for <[[email protected]]>; Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:30:14 -0800 (PST) Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:30:13 -0800 Message-ID: <[[email protected]]> Received: from 4.182.6.86 by BAY4-DAV10.phx.gbl with DAV; Thu, 09 Dec 2004 06:29:11 +0000 X-Originating-IP: [4.182.6.86] X-Originating-Email: [[[email protected]]] X-Sender: [[email protected]] From: "LINDA ADAMS" <[[email protected]]> To: "south-bay-birds" <[[email protected]]> Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:29:08 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: MSN 9 X-MimeOLE: Produced By MSN MimeOLE V9.10.0009.2900 Seal-Send-Time: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 22:29:08 -0800 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 09 Dec 2004 06:30:13.0697 (UTC) FILETIME=[8A48E310:01C4DDB8] Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5b1 Subject: [SBB] So. County Birds 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]] Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by plaidworks.com id iB96V2lI025139 Hello SBBers, There have been several discussions lately, perhaps as a result of the Red Crossbill/Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion, as to what is normal for South County. Although I could not begin to even recognize subspecies of these birds, I can offer some observations from being out-and-about with many of our local birds on a regular basis. I may not have reported birds of interest to the community, because I thought that everyone else was knee deep in them. When I noticed that the majority of birds on the SBB List were reported the first day of January, I figured there were plenty of them out there and my reports would just clog the system. I recently discovered, while communicating, that when I stumble around twenty Yellow-billed Magpies to get to the bird feeder, this may not be typical elsewhere. Most of my observations occur while monitoring and maintaining several nestbox trails. Rather than walking through and taking an inventory and count, I am out there pounding drivers or cleaning out nestboxes for one to three hours at a time. During this time frame, many otherwise unnoticed birds appear to observe what I am doing. Among the usual birds are many White-breasted Nuthatches, sometimes some Pygmy Nuthatches, occasionally a Red-breasted Nuthatch and Brown Creepers. I cannot evaluate what may or may not have been at Henry Coe Park on Vista Loop because the first time I ever visited was during the first "Red Crossbill Alert". The areas where I have regularly seen nuthatches are behind our house; and in Coyote and Anderson Lake Parks. Our house borders on Harvey Bear Ranch. I have seen all three nuthatch species in the vicinity. The oak tree behind our house has a White-breasted Nuthatch that is there regularly. During the Spring this year, I noticed a Pygmy Nuthatch on the oak tree behind the adjacent neighbor's house, and on another occasion a Red-breasted Nuthatch on the fence that adjoins Harvey Bear Ranch and another neighbor. I was surprised, because the largely Oak Savannah habitat would seem to be marginal for any of these nuthatch species, but there are a number of ranchettes bordering this area that have mature groves of trees that might be attractive to them. Setting up here to observe my neighbors' backyards with binoculars, however, might not be a great idea. Fortunately, for anyone interested in observing the "Nuthatch Family", both Coyote Lake County Park, which includes Harvey Bear and Mendoza Ranches; as well as parts of Anderson Lake County Park have all three nuthatch species. I don't know, however, if they have ever been identified and recorded. Naturally, the White-breasted are in the majority, but if you are patient you will see the others, as well. For the best possible chance to view the various nuthatches, spending some time in the picnic areas or on the trails will increase your odds of seeing them. [You could bring the family and have a picnic!] But as I mentioned, in my case, I was sometimes out there for up to three hours when I happened to see one. On some trips, I didn't see any. Since Nestbox Trails are really my focus, I spend all my available time developing, maintaining and monitoring the trails. But for those so inclined to dig deeper, what you observe when you bird through the area is just the surface. So, yes, in the beginning (Pre-Invasion) there were Pygmy and Red-breasted Nuthatches in South County too. Linda Adams San Martin _______________________________________________ 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]]