[SBB] scouting

["Michael Mammoser" <[[email protected]]>]

On Monday afternoon, 26 Dec 05, after emailing my report for that morning, I
went to New Chicago Marsh to look around. I found no phalaropes there and
sent Dave Weber over to Crittenden Marsh to see the ones I had there
earlier. However, the LESSER YELLOWLEGS was still along the entrance road
and the PRAIRIE FALCON was still perched on a power tower there. In a
humorous vein, a COMMON RAVEN came along and tried harassing the falcon, but
it didn't take long for the falcon to turn the tables and send the raven
packing. 

On Tuesday, 27 Dec 05, I decided to do a little scouting for the Calero CBC,
and all the birds mentioned will be count week birds for that count. 

I started out by finding the FERRUGINOUS HAWK along Richmond Ave just off
Santa Teresa Blvd. 

I stopped at Coyote Creek Golf Course and, although there were many CANADA
GEESE there, failed to find the Cackling Goose that had been in with them
recently. A SPOTTED SANDPIPER, however, was along one of the water hazard
ponds. I spent some time looking, in vain, for the redstart, but only had a
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER as the bird of interest. While birding from the paved
bike path here, I had a small BOBCAT amble past me less than 30 feet away. I
shadowed it for the next hundred yards or so from close distance, as it
seemed quite unconcerned with my presence, and even tried to catch something
on 2 occasions.

I checked Edenvale Garden Park for possible tanagers and stuff, but came up
with only a MERLIN for my efforts.

At Ogier Ponds I had an OSPREY feeding on a fish right along the entrance
road. However, it became unnerved by my presence and moved off to a
sycamore, where it in turn rattled the nerves of a pair of WHITE-TAILED
KITES that was perched there. At the pond, visible from the paved bike path
just north of the model airplane park, I had some good luck. Here was a pair
of COMMON MERGANSERS and 2 pairs of HOODED MERGANSERS. Also, a female
REDHEAD was hiding amongst the RING-NECKED DUCKS, and an immature
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was working the shoreline. The best bird here,
however, was a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER that was flitting along the pond edge
before getting lost in the willow-covered levee to the south. I was unable
to refind it.

Michael Mammoser





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