[SBB] San Antonio Valley

[Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]>]

Folks:

Today, 11/12/05, I made a transect from Mines Road at the Alameda County 
line to the summit of Mt. Hamilton.  There was a fairly heavy fog in the 
Arroyo Mocho and Colorado Creek drainages, but San Antonio Valley was 
clear.  The spring rains seemed to have produced heavy seed crops of 
chamise and huckleberries (_Vaccinium_).  However, the oak mast seemed to 
be poor or absent at all elevations.

Driving up from Livermore, I counted YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES, as people have 
expressed concern about this species in the Central Valley.  My count was 
29 birds, most on the alluvial soils before Mines Road begins to climb.  I 
have no previous counts for comparison, but this seemed pretty normal.  In 
the fog, I was able to find only a single female  PHAINOPEPLA.

For the transect, Acorn Woodpeckers were slightly low, but Lewis's 
Woodpeckers were missing from the usual spots.  I counted about 23 
LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES.  Most were in an overgrazed pasture near the pass 
between Colorado Creek and San Antonio Valley, where they used a small 
stock pond for bathing.  I also had a pair at the Digger Pine Ranch and a 
female at the Junction Cafe.  My Yellow-billed Magpie count was three, 
which is low.  The normal average is about nine.  A WILSON'S SNIPE at a 
pond on Del Puerto Road was somewhat unusual, although a few birds are 
found winter in the valley during most winters.

Bill Bousman
Santa Clara County records compiler 

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