[SBB] Early arrivals at Ed Levin County Park

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All,

I spent 3 hours at Ed Levin County Park this morning 3/12/05. I was hoping to find a Rufous Hummingbird, but was not optimistic when I arrived in dense wet fog, which didn't seem to lend itself to selasphorus hummingbird migration. Nonetheless, I got great looks at a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD that had a territory staked out atop the eucalyptus by the horse corral at the farthest Spring Valley parking lot. It kept returning to the same two perches and offered up great scope views. There were also male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS and several unidentified male selasphorus hummingbirds that escaped ID in the fog.

Along the Spring Valley Nature Trail below the pond, I had a singing HOUSE WREN and a couple of PINE SISKINS with the AMERICAN GOLDFINCH flock. At least 14 WILD TURKEYS and 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were along here as well.  A PURPLE FINCH was a bit of a surprise at this location. Breeding activity included active ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD and RED-SHOULDERED HAWK nests. CLIFF, TREE, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were foraging in the fog.

I next headed up to Sycamore Gulch above Sandy Wool Lake, hoping for Grasshopper Sparrows, which seemed unlikely in the fog as well. Despite this, I did hear at least one singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW and eventually managed to get good looks at one on the hillside above the trail to the sycamores. Another HOUSE WREN was singing in the sycamores and at least 3 RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS were in the same area.  An adult male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was singing in the eucalyptus trees above the dog park.

I then headed for Calero Reservoir, hoping to refind yesterday's Cattle Egret. No luck with that, although four species of SWALLOWS and many ducks, grebes, and egrets were at the reservoir. Most have been reported recently, but an adult male GREATER SCAUP was noteworthy. The entrance road to the stable had at least 9 WILD TURKEYS and 18 male TRICOLORED BLACKBIRDS singing at about the same number of females (which all retained neat white tips and edges to their median coverts, unlike most of the female BICOLORED BLACKBIRDS). A GOLDEN EAGLE was perched on the telephone pole by the boat launch.

On the way back, out I checked the flooded fields along Bailey Road (egrets and a GREATER YELLOWLEGS) and along Santa Teresa north of Bailey Road. This latter area has outstanding habitat right now, with many ducks (including 7 BUFFLEHEAD, 7 CINNAMON TEAL, and 16+ GREEN-WINGED TEAL) and shorebirds (2 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 2 BLACK-NECKED STILTS, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 40 WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 2 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and 2 WILSON'S SNIPE).  RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS were singing on the hillside opposite the flooded area and WILD TURKEYS were gobbling in the distance. A single NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW provided a 5-swallow day.

Later, in mid-afternoon, I went back out and made a quick check of Hidden Lake in Milpitas.  This failed to turn up any Iceland Gull candidates, although there are still many THAYER'S GULLS left. Most interesting was a first-winter MEW GULL. A quick check of the pines at parking lot C at Lake Cunningham also failed to turn up the Williamson's Sapsucker (not surprising given the number of people partying nearby), although at least 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHACTHES were still around.

Mike Rogers
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