[SBB] Sunnyvale and Alviso

[Al Eisner <[[email protected]]>]

    This morning I checked the Sunnyvale WPCP, walking out to the end
of the central levee and the islands nearby.  It was mostly disappointing:
only 8 species of shorebird, with just 4 Phalaropes (Red-Necked), and only
a few Terns (Forster's).  However, the initial low overcast provided good
conditions for Swallows.  There were 60 Violet-Green on the wires, and
probably more in flight with the many Cliff and Barn.  I had repeated
sightings of Vaux's Swift, often flying low -- difficult to estimate
numbers, but I think a half dozen is conservative.  One interesting
Swallow on the wire was smallish, medium brown (not dark), with buffy-
orange wingbars, and pale underparts.  It did not have the facial pattern
of a Violet-Green.  Although I didn't detect darker shading on the throat,
I judged it to be probably a juvenile N. Rough-winged.  I also had 71
American White Pelicans (68 fly-by) and heard Virginia Rail in the marsh.

    At midday I walked out the south levee of pond A16 from the EEC in
Alviso.  Again, shorebirds were disappointing.  As I arrived, I saw one
Caspian Tern near the boardwalk, and at least 9 on the levee, among many
Pelicans, Egrets and Gulls.  Unfortunately, a couple of walkers flushed
all the birds off the levee before I could further check out the Terns,
and I only refound two (a juvenile with an adult on the first island).
I estimated a total of 365 American White Pelicans on A16, and at least
68 Brown Pelicans.  I spotted one Snowy Plover in the impoundment west
of the main RR tracks, but heat waves made the viewing difficult.  One
Lesser Yellowlegs along the entrance road was all I encountered.

								Al Eisner

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