From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Mon Dec 20 11:40:49 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBKJbXlF005732 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:37:34 -0800 (PST) Received: from mailgw2a.lmco.com (mailgw2a.lmco.com [192.91.147.7]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBKJZnYK005690 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:35:53 -0800 (PST) Received: from emss01g01.ems.lmco.com (relay1.ems.lmco.com [129.197.181.54]) by mailgw2a.lmco.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id iBKJZm0h020403 for <[[email protected]]>; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 14:35:48 -0500 (EST) Received: from CONVERSION-DAEMON.lmco.com by lmco.com (PMDF V6.1-1X6 #30875) id <[[email protected]]> for [[email protected]]; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:35:48 -0800 (PST) Received: from EMSS01I00.us.lmco.com ([129.197.181.70]) by lmco.com (PMDF V6.1-1X6 #30875) with ESMTP id <[[email protected]]> for [[email protected]]; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:35:47 -0800 (PST) Received: from EMSS01M10.us.lmco.com ([129.197.181.75]) by EMSS01I00.us.lmco.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.6713); Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:35:47 -0800 Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:35:47 -0800 From: "Miller, Steve E" <[[email protected]]> To: sbbirds <[[email protected]]> Message-id: <[[email protected]]> X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.0.6603.0 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Thread-Topic: San Jose CBC, Alviso Party 10 (Sunnyvale WPCP) Thread-Index: AcTmypZ83S5uvgy0QgW+YkDkL6Tj+g== content-class: urn:content-classes:message X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: X-OriginalArrivalTime: 20 Dec 2004 19:35:47.0304 (UTC) FILETIME=[1AA5CE80:01C4E6CB] Subject: [SBB] San Jose CBC, Alviso Party 10 (Sunnyvale WPCP) 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]] Hi all: Chris Wolfe and I covered Area 10 this year. This includes the office buildings in the vicinity of Java and Crossman Ave, the portions of the Sunnyvale WPCP east of Guadaloupe Slough, pond A-4 to the east and Baylands Park extending to San Tomas Aquino Creek. The office buildings have in the past held interesting passerines but recent landscaping here seemed to have adversely affected things this year. The rains seem to have helped the Eucalypts however as many more than usual were in bloom. This was particularly true of the Sunnyvale WPCP area. We arrived at around 8:00 am and right at the office, we spotted an Oriole perched on top of one of the small redwoods. It had an intense burnt orange color on the upper breast which got us thinking about Baltimore but the orange was confined to the throat and upper breast only turning to a canvas color on the lower breast and belly and becoming orange again under the vent. The face was orange but the crown was a relatively light brown, another feature for BULLOCK's ORIOLE. The lack of black throat would make this a female. The morning light was casting an orange glow on everything and this would make the orange tones darker than reality. The ponds themselves were rather quiet. A COMMON MOORHEN at the entrance of Guadelupe slough is expected as was the GREEN HERON in the slough behind the primary treatment buildings (the scramblers as I call them). We heard 3 VIRGINIA RAILS on the outer portion of slough past the radar. Shorebirds and terns were noticeably absent (save for 68 LEAST SANDPIPERS). On the return to the WCPC office, we heard a HOODED ORIOLE calling from the vicinity of the Guadelupe Slough pump house. At the time, I commented "a starling just gave a perfect imitation of a Hooded Oriole". I happened to look on top of the pumphouse and found an immature male Hooded Oriole perched on the barbed wire. We lost it after two minutes, wondering whether the pumphouse was in the count circle or not. Fortunately on the way out to A-4, we refound it in the red flowering Eucalyptus on the east side of the slough. This area is definitely OK and we enjoyed another five minutes with this seasonal rarity. Pond A-4 had more birds, including 7 species of gulls, large numbers of NORTHERN SHOVELERS and RUDDY DUCKS, CLARK'S and WESTERN GREBE, and groups of BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS. Baylands Park provided short but close views of a VIRGINIA RAIL and a SORA along the channel separating A-4 from Twin Creeks. The developed part of the park had a NUTTAL'S WOODPECKER, DARK-EYED JUNCO, and more butter-butts. San Tomas Aquino Creek had a female RING-NECKED PHEASANT and 2 WILSON'S SNIPE. No bitterns and surprisingly few ducks. Water levels were very low here and probably deoxygenated. Steve Miller _______________________________________________ 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]]