From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Sat May 22 20:55:09 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i4N3s0Uv017134 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 22 May 2004 20:54:01 -0700 (PDT) Received: from turkey.mail.pas.earthlink.net (turkey.mail.pas.earthlink.net [207.217.120.126]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i4N3pkD6017073 for <[[email protected]]>; Sat, 22 May 2004 20:51:47 -0700 (PDT) Received: from user-vcaurhc.dsl.mindspring.com ([216.175.110.44] helo=pavilion.earthlink.net) by turkey.mail.pas.earthlink.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 1BRk1M-0003I6-00 for [[email protected]]; Sat, 22 May 2004 20:51:46 -0700 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.1 Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 20:24:24 -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 Transect 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: I counted birds today, 5/22/2004, starting on Mines Road at the Alameda County line and finishing at the summit of Mt Hamilton (now festooned with No Parking signs). I took a short detour on Del Puerto Canyon Road to look at birds on the Mallison Pond, about a quarter mile from the junction. I didn't do particularly well with San Antonio Valley specialties such as Lewis's Woodpecker and Phainopepla. Surprisingly, I didn't hear any Yellow Warblers on San Antonio Creek or at the Arnold Ponds. A GREEN HERON at the Arnold Ponds on Arroyo Bayo was expected, but two on the now-filled pond at the Stoddard Ranch in San Antonio Valley was less so. All were adults. I saw six adult WOOD DUCKS on the Mallison Pond plus four precocial young. A female was at the Stoddard Ranch pond, and four birds were along Arroyo Bayo--two at a stock pond above the Arnold Ponds and two in a stock pond lower down on Arroyo Bayo. Six ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS were at the Junction Cafe feeders, but no other species. A BELTED KINGFISHER was flying with food in its bill down Beauregard Creek towards the Mallison Pond and this is a new confirmation for Block 3035, although birds have been seen here regularly in the past. Probably the biggest surprise of the day was an adult SAY'S PHOEBE feeding a fledgling at the Mallison Ranch. They have bred here before, but it doesn't appear that they nest every year. Both CLIFF and BARN SWALLOWS were in San Antonio Valley. This appears to be marginal habitat for them and they are missing in drought years. The Cliffs were at both the Mallison and Stoddard ranches, but the Barns were only at the Mallison Ranch where Beauregard Creek passes under the San Antonio Valley Road. TOWNSEND'S WARBLER is one of our later migrants and taper off by the end of May so a male near the Digger Pine Ranch is of interest. I found only one SAGE SPARROW, a bird singing a few 10s of meters south of the famed cattle guard north of San Antone Junction. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were very active at the wetlands across from the Digger Pine Ranch. A female carrying food is a first confirmation for Block 3040, although birds have been seen here before. Two male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS were near the Stoddard Ranch. We aren't aware of any colonies of this breeder in this area. I couldn't find any LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES until I got towards the south end of the valley. I had a flyover pair and then one pair each in the last two groves of oaks beside the road before it turns west and climbs out of the valley. 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]]