Re: [SBB] Arastadero Sightings

["Garth Harwood" <[[email protected]]>]

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Hi Ron and All,

Lazuli Buntings may well be breeding at Arastradero Preserve this year,
although I have no specific confirmation of it. Not sure if they've been
recorded as nesters there before, but I have never seen them there this late
into the season. During a nestbox circuit at Arastradero yesterday 6/20/2005
I saw two different LAZB males, one of them singing from the same location
where one has been since late April. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was carrying
food near the western corner of the preserve. Most everything has now
fledged from my nestboxes, excepting a few Violet-green and Tree Swallows.

I also stopped by Redwood Grove park in Los Altos to check on the tanagers
yesterday. I spent 20 minutes or so amid day-camp chaos where I'd seen them
before, with no luck. Corvids, unseasonable rain events, etc.  may well have
sent them packing.

--Garth Harwood
----------
>From: Ron Wolf <[[email protected]]>
>To: [[email protected]]
>Subject: [SBB] Arastadero Sightings
>Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2005, 5:28 PM
>

>
>I went to Arastadero Sunday afternoon primarily to shoot photos of 
>LESSER GOLDFINCHES in an area where the thistle has reached 
>perfection and birds are pigging out.
>
>There a stretch of about 300 yards along the Arastadero Creek Trail 
>(a/k/a the utility road) between the junction of Acorn Trail and the 
>Woodrat Trail.
>The margin along the east side of the trail is full of very ripe 
>thistle and the goldfinches are coming out of the willows along the 
>creek to feed. Traffi scares them off, but as soon as the hikers / 
>bikers / horses along that stretch of trail abate for a few minutes, 
>the goldfinches re-emerge from the willows and go back to work on the 
>thistle.
>
>A LAZULI BUNTING settled into the thistle to feed for about five 
>minutes. The bunting was silent, but very visible by the side of the 
>trail. Some people on horseback came along and scared off everything.
>
>If you go up there to shoot photos, it is best in mid- to late 
>afternoon, when the sun is farther west and illuminates the east side 
>of the trail/road.
>
>Other sightings:
>
>A pair of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS were carrying food at the junction 
>of the Arastadero Creek Trail and the Acorn Trail.
>
>A pair of SPOTTED TOWHEES were chasing each other around on the 
>Arastadero Creek Trail about 200 yard north of that trail junction.
>
>About 200 yards along the Acorn Trail west of this junction, we got 
>very good views and photos of a WESTERN WOOD PEWEE on the north side 
>of the trail. Along this stretch of trail, the ground slopes steeply 
>to north. You're at eyeball level with the oak canopy and couple of 
>the high perches for the pewee.
>
>A DARK-EYED JUNCO in this same area was doing a great job of 
>harassing and chasing off a STELLAR'S JAY that had apparently gotten 
>too close to its nest.
>
>A pair of GREEN HERONS were foraging around the edges of Arastadero 
>Lake. Previous reports have described a nesting pair by the lake. We 
>saw no sign of their chicks.
>
>The fire-control czars have mowed hundreds of acres of grass on the 
>hills. That means the red-wing blackbairds have been evicted and the 
>hawks and kites are coming back in bigger numbers.
>
>
>
>
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