[SBB] Palo Alto CBC, Region 2, Party 2

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

Folks:

Yesterday, 12/17/06, I neglected to mention that Jim Thomas and I 
found an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in the re-veg area along Coyote Creek 
south of Hwy 237.  We have a number of subspecies of Orange-crowneds 
here in winter and this appeared (in some lighting conditions) to be 
the gray-headed subspecies, which is probably the one most often 
encountered in winter.

Today, 12/18/06, I covered part of Region 2 on the Palo Alto 
SBC.  This area is centered on Shoreline Lake and includes the lake 
and park there, plus the Mountain View Forebay and Salt Ponds A1 and 
A2W.  I arrived just after sunrise, and noted two BURROWING OWLS in 
the mound across from Michaels Restaurant.  In the last few weeks 
these birds have been in the nearer mound.  A MERLIN was over the 
Rengstorff House.  The temperature was 33 deg F. so I struggled to 
keep my fingers warm as I searched the lake for stakeout birds and 
any other goodies.  I saw an adult BROWN PELICAN there (later in the 
day and immature was there as well) and I found the two male and one 
female BARROW'S GOLDENEYES in the northwest corner, as usual.  As I 
was working the lake, I was scanning each of the early morning flocks 
of Canada Geese as they passed over for any hangers-on.  A flock of 
about 15 came over (0813 hr) and this included the BRANT that has 
been found recently in Palo Alto.  This flock did not land on the 
lake and looked to be going towards the Shoreline Park overflow area, 
which is a popular grazing area.  After finishing up my notes on the 
Barrow's I rearranged my route and cycled south for to the overflow 
lot.  There, I found a good number of Canada (no Brant or Snow 
Geese), but I did find six CACKLING GEESE.  Two of the six had narrow 
white neck rings, but all were fairly pale breasted (like our regular 
geese), and I think that these were Aleutian Canadas.  I then cycled 
back through the golf course and checked out the local flocks, as the 
golfers got going for the morning.  I took some pictures of the 
border collie trying to round up his coot friends (Boy, do they know him!).

I circumnavigated the forebay and, before scoping Salt Pond A1, I 
cycled again along Shoreline Lake to check the Canada Geese and their 
occasional little buddies.  Surprise, surprise, the BRANT was right 
there on the lawn about 1115 hr.  So, if you want to see a rare bird 
in Santa Clara County, all you have to do is get up late, go to the 
Lakeside Cafe, get your double latte, and wait for the good birds!

I then started scanning the ducks in Salt Pond A1.  Fortunately, the 
ducks seemed mostly concentrated along the bike path, rather than 
being on the bay end of the pond.  Stakeout EURASIAN WIGEONS (two 
males), and about nine REDHEAD were well out, and mostly over on the 
west side.  While counting ducks, I checked the occasional flocks of 
Canadas as they flew to nearby areas.  At one point a flock flew into 
A2W (to the east) and the Brant was with them.  Later, another flock 
came into A2W and included the 6 Cacklings.  Even later, the 6 
Cackling Geese flew directly overhead as they went over to Shoreline 
Lake (make that a triple latte).  From near the island at the SE 
corner of A1, you can see the NW island (with some 
imagination).  There were lots of Am. White Pelicans out there and 
some other stuff as well.  I decided I would cycle out and see, and 
counted 34 BLACK SKIMMERS (this levee is accessible only on bird 
counts, unfortunately).  I think these birds have spent the fall at 
the Radio Road Pond in Redwood Shores.  They may be back, but they 
don't seem to like the island in Charleston Slough anymore.

I then headed for Salt Pond A2W, which is east of Mountain View 
Slough.  Scanning the pond, it appeared that most of the ducks are 
now near the new gates to the bay at the north end.  So, I decided to 
head out the east levee of the pond (again, only accessible on bird 
counts), and this positioned me where I could look over the ducks on 
the outer part.  The big numbers were American Wigeons and 
scaup.  Among these I found six EURASIAN WIGEON, a male REDHEAD, and 
a female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.  The big surprise, however, were two 
PELAGIC CORMORANTS on the abandoned PG&E catwalk in the pond (These 
may actually be visible from the public trail on the east side of 
Stevens Creek when they are roosting on the catwalk).

Bill Bousman
Santa Clara County records compiler 



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