[SBB] "Almaden Eagles" Big Day

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Hello All,
 
The "Almaden Eagles" (SCVAS Birdathon team) did their thing today  (Saturday, 
Apr 16) with  team members Grant Webb, Rich Page, Janna Pauser,  and Ann 
Verdi.  We basically stay within the Almaden area, and today we  came up with 108 
species.
 
Here are a few highlights.
 
We began around 5:00 am under starry skies at the McAbee entrance to  
Quicksilver CP, and along the Senador Mines Trail we picked up W. SCREECH-OWL,  GREAT 
HORNED OWL, and COMMON POORWIILL.
 
As dawn began to break, lowland fog moved in blanketing the area.  The  
overcast may have helped us because at our next stop on Hicks Road  we had some of 
our best birding of the day.  In a mixed  warbler flock we found 
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER,  BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S 
WARBLER, HERMIT WARBLER, and WILSON'S  WARBLER.  We also found W. WOOD-PEWEE, 
WARBLING VIREO, CASSIN'S VIREO,  WESTERN TANAGER, HOUSE WREN, BROWN CREEPER, and 
a flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS.
 
In contrast the skies were clear and the sun was shining on Mt.  Umhunum (our 
next stop).  Here we found SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, PURPLE FINCH,  BLUE-GRAY 
GNATCATCHER, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD, and a  "surprise" bird - 
a CHIPPING SPARROW.  We also found another Black-throated  Gray Warbler here.
 
Back down the hill to Almaden Reservoir and Twin Creeks where things were  
pretty quiet although the fog had dissipated by then.  We dipped on the  
American Dipper, but picked up WOOD DUCK, COMMON MERGANSER, HUTTON'S VIREO, and  
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE.  We also had another W. Wood-Pewee here.
 
A lunch stop at the New Almaden Community Center where at least two male  
YELLOW WARBLERS were seen.  A HAIRY WOODPECKER was also noted here.
 
>From there we headed down McKean Road toward Calero, stopping first to view  
the GOLDEN EAGLE nest with two white eaglets and a parent hovering nearby.   
Birds of interest at Calero included FORSTER'S TERN, WESTERN GREBE, GADWALL, 
and  a CANADA GOOSE pair with at least six goslings.  Land birds included the  
staked-out BARN OWL with a single young in the eaves of the Bailey-Fellows  
farmhouse (thanks to Bob Reiling and Frank Vanslager for that one), WESTERN  
BLUEBIRDS, and a male HOODED ORIOLE.  BTW, we also found a Helmeted Guinea  Fowl 
nest with nine eggs.
 
We didn't stay long at Chesbro Reservoir because of biker rally going on,  
but here we managed to find GREEN-WINGED TEAL and OSPREY.  At Santa  Teresa's 
Stile Ranch Trail we saw WESTERN KINGBIRD, WHITE-THROATED SWIFT,  RUFOUS-CROWNED 
SPARROW, and Janna noted RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.
 
Winding down we stopped by Almaden Lake for gulls (RING-BILLED &  
CALIFORNIA), CASPIAN TERN, and egrets & herons.  Our last stop was the  SCVWD Pond where 
we added SPOTTED SANDPIPER and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (our 8th  warbler species 
of the day).
 
A good birding day with good birding friends.  Hope to do it again  next year.
 
Ann Verdi
San Jose
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