From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Thu Jul 15 18:44:58 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i6G1gdOP019987 for <[[email protected]]>; Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:42:40 -0700 (PDT) Received: from harrier.mail.pas.earthlink.net (harrier.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.12]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i6G1fRMR019943 for <[[email protected]]>; Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:41:31 -0700 (PDT) Received: from user-vcaupfd.dsl.mindspring.com ([216.175.101.237] helo=pavilion.earthlink.net) by harrier.mail.pas.earthlink.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 1BlHj1-0006PM-00 for [[email protected]]; Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:41:24 -0700 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.1 Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:48:10 -0700 To: [[email protected]] From: Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: [SBB] San Antonio Valley 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: Today, 7/15/2004, I tallied birds from the Alameda County line on Mines Road to the summit of Mt. Hamilton. It gets warm in the valley this time of year, but 92 deg F about noon was not too bad. Arroyo Mocho appeared to be completely dried out, but Colorado Creek, where it parallels Mines Road as well as Sweetwater Creek where it goes along Mines Road, particularly near the Digger Pine Ranch, had pools, some flowing water, and extensive green grass that was attractive to birds. San Antonio Creek at the dogleg had much more water and an extensive growth of old willows and understory brambles. Arroyo Bayo, other than at the Arnold Pond, had only a few pools left and no real stream flow or much grass growing. The biggest surprise was the quantity of LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS. I had 12, possibly in two family groups, at the pass between Arroyo Mocho and Colorado Creek, where I've never seen them before. South on Mines Road and into San Antonio Valley I found five more birds in scattered locations with the southernmost at the dogleg in the valley. I only aged two birds, a juvenile along Sweetwater Creek near Ruthie's Barn and an adult at the dogleg. Near Colorado Creek I had five ROCK PIGEONS in direct flight overhead. As pointed out before by Alvaro, I think, these are likely racing pigeons rather than feral birds. Rock Pigeons are seldom found in the interior of the Diablo Range. I had numerous family groups of LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES with a day's total of at least 32. These were all near water, and along Colorado Creek I watched an adult feed one of the juveniles that was foraging in the grass. Two WOOD DUCKS were on the Mallison pond on Beauregard Creek east of the junction on Del Puerto Canyon Road. Five BARN SWALLOWS and a CLIFF SWALLOW in the valley indicate birds that probably bred there this summer (Mike Rogers had at least one nest at the Mallison Bridge in the spring). They are not found here every year. Two adult GREEN HERONS were along San Antonio Creek, but I didn't find evidence of nesting. One of the small ponds along Arroyo Bayo had an immature SNOWY EGRET, which is unusual this far from the Bay. Bill Bousman Santa Clara County records compiler _______________________________________________ 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]]