From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Sun Dec 12 12:29:28 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBCKR6lH011560 for <[[email protected]]>; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:27:06 -0800 (PST) Received: from rwcrmhc12.comcast.net (rwcrmhc12.comcast.net [216.148.227.85]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBCKPlYK011519 for <[[email protected]]>; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:25:48 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> Received: from jeanowl2675s4f (c-24-6-248-198.client.comcast.net[24.6.248.198]) by comcast.net (rwcrmhc12) with SMTP id <2004121220254601400ea03qe>; Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:25:46 +0000 From: "Jean Myers" <[[email protected]]> To: "SBB Chat Group" <[[email protected]]> Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:27:19 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 Thread-Index: AcTgiPqCMHo4CKZPQlqQYqhY4IDqJA== X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5b1 Subject: [SBB] 12-11-04 Loads of Raptors at Ed Levin 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 iBCKR6lH011560 Hi! After photographing the Long-eared Owl (life bird for me) in a thick pine (one picture sort of came out and can be viewed at my Webshots site: http://community.webshots.com/user/birdermom), I birded other areas of Ed Levin Park since I will be part of a Christmas Bird Count there next Saturday. Some of the best sightings were of raptors. In the field below Hang-glider Hill, which still had fog I watched a Coyote saunter across (for what must have been ten minutes) during which I determined she was a large female (watched her squat to relieve herself) with parasites (stopped to use hind foot to scratch) who was hungry (stalked several times). She was headed towards Hang-glider Hill where her nest is (last year I saw her pups playing as they emerged from the den). A White-tailed Kite was hard to pick out in the fog (as you can imagine). On the hill behind the Dog Park (an extremely noisy area at the end of the road near Sandy Wool Lake Group Area) about a half hour after the fog lifted, I spied a Merlin hunting and perching nearby (wow, they’re fast); a Peregrine circling fairly high overhead and then soaring overhead three more times later; an immature Golden Eagle, who seemed to think I was the entertainment for the day as it circled me three times at fairly close range (could see the color of it’s magnificent golden eyes and count every feather), then checked up on me two more times during fly-by’s at greater heights, at least 3 Red-tailed Hawks having fun darting around at one another during their playful flight (one a very light morph with a paler tale), a hunting Northern Harrier female, and the ever-present American Kestrel (one of several seen during the day). Of course there were several TV’s circling as well. The best part was trying to sort out the various cries, as all but the Golden Eagle were extremely vocal! On Sandy Wool Lake, lying on shore with a Ring-billed Gull, was a Mew Gull! I was very surprised to see this petite gull with its’ solid pinkish beak, especially so near to people. A dog spooked it off, and I couldn’t relocate it. I found several Ring-billed Ducks (on all 3 lake/ponds). Other birds seen (of greater interest) were two Red-breasted Sapsuckers, loads of Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, two Say’s Phoebe’s. several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a Fox Sparrow, at least 6 Hermit Thrushes, a few Bufflehead, and a Red-Shouldered Hawk (near Spring Valley Pond), Traveling up Calaveras Rd., I came across a meadow and watched a very large Bobcat slink across, its' two black ear dots (as it faced away), like the two eyes of a larger animal peering back at me. Also, the same Golden Eagle came charging through some trees and landed about 200’ up a slope from my car. I stopped and watched as it tried to catch its' breath (obviously it had been hunting – unsuccessfully). After 10 seconds it took off again, its' enormous talons dangling below like so much cutlery. After I rounded a corner a few more feet up the road, there it was again, but this time only about 50’ off the road. By now it was too tired to fly away and I studied it at leisure for a couple of minutes before I decided it needed its' peace. Doesn’t it always happen that the best bird shots occur when your battery is dead!!! Other finds for the day (in the early morning) were about 10 American Pipits, a Say’s Phoebe and 11 Long-billed Curlews feeding amongst the regulars at Arzino Ranch and 21 Black-bellied Plovers sleeping across the pond at State and Spreckles (scope only). What a great way to return to birding after a 1 ½ month spent recovering from a foot injury. Happy Holidays!!! Jean Myers P.S. Sorry to those who witnessed my fumbling with my camera gear, I guess the fluidity of the movements goes quickly when not birding. _______________________________________________ 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]]