[SBB] Palo Alto CBC, Region 4, Party 4

["Patricia Kenny" <[[email protected]]>]

On Monday, December 18, Mary Keitelman and I covered part of Region 4 of the 
Palo Alto CBC.  In the morning we birded the Stevens Creek Trail in Mountain 
View starting at the Yuba Drive trailhead near El Camino Real and ending at 
Hwy 101.  We also birded three city parks that are adjacent to the trail: 
Landels, Creekside, and Whisman Parks.  The morning started out well with a 
WESTERN TANAGER on the sunny top of a tall redwood tree near the trailhead 
on Yuba Dr.  Most of the other birds along the trail were expected winter 
species, although we were surprised to see 10 TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS along the 
way and a VARIED THRUSH so near the bay.

In the afternoon we headed over to Sunnyvale Golf Course.  The course 
manager was very gracious and cooperative in giving us permission to be on 
the course, even offering us golf carts to get around.  We declined the golf 
cart offer, feeling that we could bird better on foot.  They just asked that 
we stay near the edges.  We walked around the entire perimeter of the area 
southeast of Hwy 237 and part of the perimeter of the area northwest of 237. 
One of the ponds had 10 beautiful HOODED MERGANSERS.  Another pond had a 
nice reedy habitat where we found a GREAT BLUE HERON and a BLACK-CROWNED 
NIGHT HERON.  One pond with a water fountain seemed to attract a number of 
passerines, which were feeding on the grass nearby.  Among them were 4 
WESTERN BLUEBIRDS.  In the old orchard on the course we found a RED-BREASTED 
SAPSUCKER.  Although the course looks like a good spot for unusual geese, we 
were only able to find CANADA GEESE.

The golfers were very friendly and curious about what we were doing.  When 
we told them, most parties asked us how we knew that we weren't counting the 
same birds twice!  It was a very pleasant walk around the golf course, 
although even walking on the edges of the course, we had to be alert for 
stray golf balls.

Take care.
Pat Kenny



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