From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Tue Dec 21 11:00:25 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBLIvklF027670 for <[[email protected]]>; Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:57:47 -0800 (PST) Received: from pop-a065d19.pas.sa.earthlink.net (pop-a065d19.pas.sa.earthlink.net [207.217.121.253]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id iBLIueYK027618 for <[[email protected]]>; Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:56:40 -0800 (PST) Received: from user-vcaulaf.dsl.mindspring.com ([216.175.85.79] helo=pavilion.earthlink.net) by pop-a065d19.pas.sa.earthlink.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 1CgpBT-0006EN-00; Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:56:36 -0800 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.1 Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:56:55 -0800 To: [[email protected]] From: Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Cc: [[email protected]] Subject: [SBB] Alviso on 12/19 and Mountain View on 12/20 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]] Folks: On Sunday, 12/19/2004, I counted in the Alviso sector of the San Jose CBC with Paul Pickering. We started at the Arzino Ranch at first light. Blackbird numbers were down and we counted only 11 TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS and two male BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS (latter number is typical). We then moved on to Coyote Creek below Hwy 237. A PRAIRIE FALCON flew up to a power pole and gave us good views. A distant flock of geese had about 20 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and one SNOW GOOSE. The Snow Goose, with its black primaries, was too far for any details, but it was identically sized to the White-fronts. At the CCFS waterbird pond we found a single adult GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. Driving out to the mudflats that connect with Coyote Slough we found a female/imm MERLIN finishing up an immature male House Finch (id from Vicki Silvas-Young). We had at least one more Merlin along the creek, one in the sludge ponds, and one along Los Esteros for a total of at least four. In the afternoon we surveyed the San Jose-Santa Clara WPCP drying ponds. The ponds did not seem attractive to gulls this year, but were okay for ducks and raptors. We had a single CACKLING GOOSE with a small flock of Canadas and an immature PEREGRINE FALCON. We had at least 15 RED-TAILED HAWKS in these ponds. It wasn't clear why there was this high density. There was a moderate supply of California ground squirrels, but perhaps they feed primarily on injured waterfowl and gulls. We finished up at the Arzino Ranch again where we tallied three BURROWING OWLS. A group of birders there said that they had seen two additional ones earllier. On Monday, 12/20/2004, I counted in the Mountain View salt ponds/Shoreline Lake vicinity, but earlier I did some owling up in Monte Bello and along Page Mill Road. The strength of the inversion layer can be seen in that when I left Menlo Park at 3:45 am, it was 37 F, and when I got to the Skid Road Trailhead in Monte Bello it was 56 F. The layer seemed particularly low, between 500 to 1000 ft, based on the cloud and fog that formed. In mixed oaks and conifers. just where the Skid Road trail drops to Stevens Creek. I tried to whistle up some Western Screech-Owls, but they stayed silent. Instead I seemed to have stimulated NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and in the next hour I had at least four calling birds. I also heard a Great Horned Owl call. Driving back down Page Mill, I watched the dawn at an overlook over Hidden Villa. There a couple of Westerns called, but nothing else. It was pleasant to watch the fog would come in and out of Hidden Villa. I got down to the Mountain View Forebay a little after seven and found a heavy fog. My targets of the day were Shoreline Lake and Salt Ponds A1 and A2W. With the fog, birding the ponds was not possible, so I spent the next hour plus working the small birds in Shoreline Park and along the golf course. With the fog not lifting I then decided to have a hearty breakfast and a latte at the Lakeside Cafe. This hit the spot and as I warmed up, I realized the fog was lifting enough that I could see most of the way across the lake. I then got on my bicycle and scoped the lake. I finally found the male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and at least one female with a bright orange bill near the pump inlet towards the western end. While getting details on these goldeneyes, I noticed a small cormorant standing on the western aerator--a PELAGIC CORMORANT. I would have preferred some sunshine for my photos, but I eventually settled for a shot with an immature Double-crested Cormorant that sat and dried its wings on an adjacent float. I watched the Pelagic from about 1130 to 1200 hr and then it left while I was taking pictures of the male Barrow's and I never saw where it went. It never associated with the Double-cresteds. As one of the many people who made repeated visits to Shoreline in late September to see the Pelagic that was seen then, I wonder if this is not the same bird? Does it have any regularity to its schedule? I then cycled over to the gate for A1, but detoured when I saw that there were BLACK SKIMMERS on the southern island in Charleston Slough ('Skimmer Island'). I counted 23 birds including four immatures. The winter flock at Charleston Slough does not seem to have established itself this winter, but perhaps they'll be found more regularly now. I cycled around A1, making a CW loop. Along the Bay the tide was well out and I didn't find anything unusual. Coming back on the Mountain View Slough side I was working through a flock of about 2000 Ruddy Ducks in the outer portion of A1 and found a sleeping male TUFTED DUCK. He never woke up while I made my counts. After A1 I rode over to the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh and checked the Green-winged Teal downstream from the footbridge. I found a typical male EURASIAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL along the bank and also a 'hybird' cross with features of both species. Both have been reported from this area earlier this winter. I was now running out of time and there was no possibility of circling A2W, so I sat down on bench on the edge of the bike path and worked through the six to seven thousand ducks on the inner part. Most of the flock was composed of American Wigeon (2390), scaup (1355), and Ruddy Ducks (700). Among them I found two male EURASIAN WIGEON and 20 REDHEAD. (The best viewing is near sunset and you need a good scope). Bill _______________________________________________ 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]]