[SBB] lowland RUHU migration

[Mike Rogers <[[email protected]]>]

All,

Many oak woodland birds have expanded into areas closer to the bay in 
recent years, and Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, Bewick's Wren, 
Western Bluebird, and Dark-eyed Junco have all been present in the 
Moffett Community Housing complex between Stevens Creek and Moffett 
Field during recent Palo Alto Summer Bird Counts, yet of all these 
species only the bluebird has been confirmed to be breeding in atlas 
block 8040 (in 2002 and 2004).  I spent over an hour at mid-day today 
4/4/05 looking for breeding evidence of these species at this location 
but, although they were all present except the bluebird today, failed to 
confirm breeding for any of them. :(

There were some interesting birds around, however, including at least 5 
male selasphorus hummingbirds, at least 3 of which were RUFOUS 
HUMMINGBIRDS.  Such low-elevation migration does not seem to happen 
every year, but reports from others in recent days suggest that this is 
one of the years for it.  Despite the fact that each of these 
individuals spent extensive periods in the same vicinity, all were very 
hard to get good looks at.  They spent much of the time perched 
(therefore inaudible) in hidden portions of the various trees and were 
not strongly territorial, not using exposed perches, and not frequently 
courting as expected of our locally breeding Allen's Hummingbirds (none 
of which are known to breed near this location). During the entire time 
I was there, I only saw one brief stint of two consecutive J-shaped 
courtship dives.  Locating these birds was made further difficult by the 
many (about 30?) ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS present, which included apparent 
juveniles and a female in the early stages of nest-building, as well as 
territorial males.

Other birds of note included 4 HOODED ORIOLES (only 1 male) and at least 
one ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (clearly a migrant at this location).  A pair 
of adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS was perched together on a single pole and 
a second-year (immature) COOPER'S HAWK was chasing away the local COMMON 
RAVENS and in turn being chased by AMERICAN CROWS.  Last year a pair of 
adults successfully fledged 5 young here.

Mike Rogers

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