[SBB] Del Puerto Canyon and San Antonio Valley Rd field trip

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All,
 
Saturday's (5/7) SCVAS field trip to Del Puerto Canyon and San Antonio  
Valley Rd started slowly with few birds in evidence, a few RED-WINGED  BLACKBIRDS 
in the wet areas and a COMMON RAVEN dining on a fairly large  lizard.  However, 
several sharp-eyed and eager birders were on the  trip and a short distance 
up Del Puerto Canyon Rd WESTERN KINGBIRD, HORNED LARK,  BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, a 
male NORTHERN HARRIER and a family group of three  LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (at least 
one begging young) were quickly located.   A male BLUE GROSBEAK was then well 
seen by all shortly before it flew off toward  the northwest following a 
female.  A short distance up the road the first  of many (hundreds?) of BULLOCK'S 
ORIOLES was spotted followed by a BELTED  KINGFISHER, WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, 
another Loggerhead Shrike, RED-TAILED HAWK and  an adult GOLDEN EAGLE.  Our next 
stop produced several more Western  Kingbirds, Bullock's Orioles and our first 
male LAZULI BUNTING of the day.   An ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD was the only hummer 
along a long line of "Tree Tobacco," a  distant LARK SPARROW and our first 
PHAINOPEPLA of the day, a female,  was seen shortly thereafter.  At the "Owl Rock" 
stop, along the  creek, a male COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD posed at the top of a bare 
tree,  unfortunately he spent most of the time showing us his backside.  A  
couple hundred yards downstream, just upstream of a painted rock on the creek  
side of the road, a second (the same?) male Costa's Hummingbird was well  seen. 
 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and SAY'S  PHOEBE checked in 
with a WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE unlocated but calling  nearby.  A BARN OWL was 
mostly hidden in a hole on the western side  of "Owl Rock."  Still further 
upstream a male Phainopepla  prompted yet another, fortuitous stop.  The male and a 
female Phainopepla,  carrying nesting material, were then well seen in the 
upper branches  of a tree across the road from the creek.  Our birders were still 
working  hard and a "pair" of ROCK WRENS were spotted high on the hill on the 
far  side of the creek with a GREATER ROADRUNNER moving in and out of the 
brush near  it, later posing nicely on a rock in plain view.  A "pair" of NORTHERN 
 ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS flew, back and forth, low over the creek landing  
several times nearby to investigate the creek bank.  Our biggest  disappointment 
of the day came soon enough we were unable to locate Canyon Wren  at the usual 
stop, an Ash-throated Flycatcher and a pair of HOUSE WRENS  were almost the 
only birds in the area.  At Frank Raines County Park we had  ACORN WOODPECKER, 
another male Phainopepla (perched high in a tree on the ridge  line), several 
Lazuli Bunting but no previously report Yellow-breasted  Chat.  After lunch our 
drive up the hill to the junction was punctuated  with songs, calls and quick 
views of the more common species of the area  including BEWICK'S WREN, 
CALIFORNIA TOWHEE, SPOTTED TOWHEE, MOURNING DOVE,  DARK-EYED JUNCO, both JAYS, 
NORTHERN FLICKER, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, WILD  TURKEY, TURKEY VULTURE, KILLDEER, 
YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE, WESTERN  BLUEBIRD, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS.  A short drive 
south on San  Antonio Valley Rd quickly netted us a nicely perched LEWIS'S 
WOODPECKER, a  life bird for several on the trip. On our return trip north past the 
 junction to the CDF Fire Station our hard working birder's once again scored 
 with some early, fairly good views of male and female LAWRENCE'S  GOLDFINCH. 
 A short walk north to the first cattle guard netted LESSER  GOLDFINCH, a 
pair of Western Wood-Pewee, more Lazuli Bunting, a distant juvenile  Golden 
Eagle, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and SAGE SPARROW (another life bird for  several on 
the trip).  A flock of six MALLARD, seen in the distance,  were our only ducks 
for the day.  Approximately 62 species were seen for  the day.
 
After the trip some of us decided to return home via Mount Hamilton in  hopes 
of finding a "county" Phainopepla at the Y-bar Ranch.  No joy  there but we 
did have several more Lewis's Woodpeckers and added BAND-TAILED  PIGEON to our 
day list. 
 
Take care,
Bob Reiling
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