From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Sun Feb 13 13:28:22 2005 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id j1DLQ5Gn002732 for <[[email protected]]>; Sun, 13 Feb 2005 13:26:06 -0800 (PST) Received: from sccrmhc12.comcast.net (sccrmhc12.comcast.net [204.127.202.56]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id j1DLOLAf002667 for <[[email protected]]>; Sun, 13 Feb 2005 13:24:22 -0800 (PST) Received: from 204.127.205.142 (unknown[204.127.205.161](misconfigured sender)) by comcast.net (sccrmhc12) with SMTP id <2005021321242001200p6g1be>; Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:24:20 +0000 Received: from [67.169.121.5] by 204.127.205.142; Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:24:20 +0000 From: [[email protected]] To: [[email protected]] Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:24:20 +0000 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: AT&T Message Center Version 1 (Dec 17 2004) X-Authenticated-Sender: bS5tLnJvZ2Vyc0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldA== MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5b1 Subject: [SBB] Monte Bello, Ed Levin, A2W X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5b1 Precedence: list List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Unsubscribe: , List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] All, This morning 2/13/05, Jack Cole, Mike Mammoser, and I did some owling and early morning birding at Monte Bello OSP. We hiked in along Skid Road (Gate 6), down to Stevens Creek, up to "The Meadow" before the Indian Creek Trail junction, down the Canyon Trail a bit further, and then back out the Canyon Trail past the sag pond. We did quite well, with 11 WESTERN SCREECH-OWLS, 4 GREAT HORNED OWLS, 2 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS (including nice looks at one illuminated by my Q-Beam), and 2 NORTHERN PYGMY-OWLS. We also saw/heard the expected woodland species up here, including VARIED THRUSH, WINTER WREN, BROWN CREEPER, HUTTON'S VIREO, and TOWNSEND'S WARBLER. On the way out we heard a PILEATED WOODPECKER in the drainage at mile 0.5 and heard 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES as well. There were still 15+ PINE SISKINS at the sag pond, mixed in with several PURPLE FINCHES. A flock of 9 RED CROSSBILLS flew over here, heading towards Page Mill Road. Next Mike Mammoser and I headed to Ed Levin Park to look for hummingbirds. We ended up finding 3 male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRDS, 1 unidentified male SELASPHORUS SP., and 2 female SELASPHORUS SP. The male that has the red-flowering eucalyptus at the upper Spring Valley parking lot staked out is quite rusty, with limited green in the back that is often hard to see from below, especially since this bird fluffs up its rusty rump feathers most of the time. The green on the crown is also not prominent on this bird. Nonetheless, it repeatedly gave the typical Allen's Hummingbird courtship display. Birders should be aware that it is still quite early for migrating Rufous Hummingbirds and a good look at the bird's back (preferably at eye level or below) is needed before being confident separating this species from the locally breeding Allen's Hummingbirds. Although it may be that most "green-backed" Rufous Hummingbirds are indeed one-year old (=SY) birds, in general the current belief is that most SY/TY male Rufous Hummingbirds "cannot be reliably aged" (Pyle's banding guide). Many such birds can also not be reliably separated from the Allen's Hummingbird. Other birds of note at Ed Levin Park included 2 BARN OWLS and a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER at the Elm Picnic Area, an OSPREY and 4 TREE SWALLOWS over Sandy Wool Lake, and a RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, a GOLDEN EAGLE, and an adult male MERLIN at the upper part of the Spring Valley Picnic Area. On the way home, I stopped at Shoreline Park to scope Salt Pond A2W for the Tufted Duck. I almost gave up immediately upon arriving, as there were thousands of ducks all over the pond. Despite this, I lucked into the adult male TUFTED DUCK in the southwest corner of the pond in less than 5 minutes of searching, especially amazing considering that the bird was diving actively and underwater about half the time. Also in this corner of the pond were 93+ REDHEAD and 2 male EURASIAN WIGEON. Near my house I saw about 35 MITRED PARAKEETS land in a juniper tree and was able to get some hopefully decent pictures of these very variably mottled birds. Mike Rogers _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]]