[SBB] Byrne Preserve area notes

[Patty Ciesla <[[email protected]]>]

Yesterday the spotted towhee was scolding me when I was working in a 
section of the yard that is adjacent to a large patch of thistle and a 
couple scrub oaks. Today he is carrying two or three large bright green 
caterpillars towards the scrub oaks. I will need to keep an ear out for 
begging young. A junco has staked out the top of a small pine, and trills 
constantly from his perch.

On my walk this morning a song sparrow was doing a duet with a black headed 
grosbeak. They were trading phrases. Most lovely! There are at least two 
pairs of grosbeaks in the area. They sing all the time. The thrashers have 
stopped singing.

The hey-you bird (pacific slope flycatcher) is hanging out in the yard. 
Various warblers (yellow rumped, townsends, mostly) too.

A largish falcon (merlin/peregrine) flew over the yard, cruising low. Too 
backlit with bright clouds to get a good ID.

The red-shouldered hawks are nesting. An adult is begging.

The red-tailed hawks are still nesting in the giant Eucalyptus at the top 
of Central Drive. This is a nest that has occupied that yard for at least 8 
years. Hopefully everybody is still OK after the winds last night. The tree 
thrashes violently in heavy winds.

A small invisible bird is tooting from the tops of the valley oaks and bays 
along Moody Court mid morning. Sounds vaguely like a pigmy owl, but the 
toots are infrequent, with very long pauses in between notes. Any ideas 
what it might be?

Screech owls were calling from the oaks last night as the moon peeked out 
during a calm.

Patty Ciesla
Los Altos Hills near Byrne Preserve

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